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THE SUNNY SOUTH 

AND 

ITS PEOPLE 




ALSO BY MR. JOHNSTON 

ALONG THE PACIFIC BY LAND AND SEA 

12 mo, 272 pages. Net, $1.25 



Comment from a Distinguished Reader 

Hon. John S. Runnells, President, 
The Pullman Building, 
Chicago, Illinois. 

Dear Mr. Runnells : I am returning to you by 
book post the Johnston book, "Along the Pacific 
by Land and Sea," which I have read with amuse- 
ment and much instruction. You will find it well 
worth reading. 

Sincerely yours, 

Robert T. Lincoln 




\'\ 






THE SUNNY SOUTH 

AND 

ITS PEOPLE 



BY 
C. W. JOHNSTON 

Author of 
"ALONG THE PACIFIC BY LAND AND SEA' 



CHICAGO 

PRESS OF RAND McNALLY & CO. 

1918 






COPYRIGHT, 1918, BY 
C. W. JOHNSTON 



PRESS OF RAND McNALLY & CO. 

SLP 23 1318 
©CIA5U1887 



INTRODUCTION 



THE observations noted in this volume were col- 
lected and are now published as a companion 
volume to the one entitled, "Along the Pacific 
by Land and Sea," issued last year. 

I trust it will receive as cordial recognition by the 
public as the former book did and at the same time 
be a messenger for good, in giving pleasure and re- 
freshing the mind of the reader ^\dth facts that ought 
to be remembered. 

C. W. Johnston 

Des Moines, Iowa, 
Novemher, 1917. 



CONTENTS 

PAGE 

On the Seas 13 

New Orleans 26 

gulfport 42 

BiLoxi 48 

Mobile 54 

Montgomery 60 

Birmingham 66 

Nashville 78 

Mammouth Cave 89 

Louisville 95 

St. Louis Ill 

Cincinnati 115 

Lexington 122 

Frankfort 129 

Richmond 134 

Through Tennessee 139 

Chattanooga 144 

asheville 150 

Charlotte 160 

Raleigh 165 

Atlanta 177 

Knoxville 184 

Columbia 190 

Charleston 195 

Summerville 207 

Savannah 212 

Savannah 224 

Augusta 230 

ix 



C N T E N T S — C n t i n u e d 

PAGE 

Durham 235 

Jacksonville 241 

St. Augustine 254 

Daytona 261 

Palm Beach 267 

West Palm Beach 275 

Miami 283 

Key West 289 

Sarasota 295 

Fort Myers 302 

Tampa 308 

Leesburg 314 

Norfolk 321 

Fortress Monroe 327 

Fredericksburg 332 

Kichmoxd 338 

Washington 354 

Mt. Vernon 377 

Annapolis 384 

Winchester 392 

Frederick 399 

Gettysburg 407 

Baltimore 415 

Lynchburg 422 

"Monticello" — Charlottesville 425 

Lexington 432 

Harpers Ferry 439 

White Sulphur Springs 446 

Wheeling 453 



THE SUNNY SOUTH 

AND 

ITS PEOPLE 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND 
ITS PEOPLE 



On the Seas 

AFTER twenty-eight days on the Pacific ocean and 
a week in the Canal zone, I again stepped aboard 
^ for a ten days' trip on the '' Tnrrialba," with 
Captain Wilford Lockhart in charge. The ship, which 
is known as one of the " Great AVhite Fleet," is bound 
'' from Cristobal to New Orleans via Havana." It is 
about four hundred feet long and carries five thousand 
tons. It is modern in every way; the staterooms being 
equipped with electric lights, fans, and cool, clean, fresh 
air day and night, and with berths upon which one can 
study, think, rest, and sleep. 

Thus situated, I began to recall some of my expe- 
riences at Ancon and Balboa. "When I arrived there I 
could see that our government had carefully looked 
after the handling of freight, but had ignored com- 
pletel}^ the fact of passengers. We, with our baggage, 
were tossed off with the freight to get out the best 
we could. I found a cab two blocks away and by 
motions, that is, a liberal use of the sign language, I 
induced the driver to follow me; and, seeing my bag- 
gage, he knew what I wanted. He talked Spanish and I 
talked English. His cab was of the Queen Victoria 
style and era; he was as black as the ace of spades and 
the horse as poor as Job's turkey. My baggage weighed 
225 pounds ; and, as I have prospered some, I tilt the 
scales at 240. We went up hill and then down again, 
and in time arrived at the Hotel Tivoli. I exposed my 
purse, and he understood my language and I under- 
stood his. He said, ' ' Three dollars and fifty cents gold. ' ' 

13 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

I refused and stood pat, which was easy for me to do. 
When the other fellow stood likewise I was compelled 
to make the next move, so I organized a kangaroo court. 
Still using the sign language, I ushered him before the 
porter of the hotel. I requested the porter to be seated, 
and, then and there, I appointed him a judge advocate 
to hear, not mine, but our case. I insisted on the judge 
advocate's taking a seat, because most men are more 
deliberate when resting and one gets their undivided 
attention. It is so in everj^day life. The judge rose 
to his new responsibilities, and I stated m}^ case clearly 
in my own language. The cabman did likewise in his 
language, so far as I could tell. The judge, there- 
upon, decided that a charge of three and fifty-hun- 
dredths dollars, all gold, was excessive, oppressive and 
contrary to the laws and regulations of the Canal zone; 
but that I was truly indebted for the services rendered 
in the sum of one and seventy-five hundredths dollars, 
which I promptly paid. 

I then found that the missionaries in the Latin 
Americas were holding a conference at Hotel Tivoli, 
250 missionaries and about 125 visitors being in attend- 
ance. I also learned that on the following Saturday 
they would adjourn and depart for home. I con- 
cluded to beat them, so started Friday for Cristobal 
to engage passage on the boat leaving th^ following 
Sunday. To my surprise, I found that the mission- 
aries had, two weeks previously, purchased all the 
rooms, including those of the vessel to leave on the 
day following; so I was doomed to remain in Colon 
for nearly ten days with no chance of getting away. 
I have never regarded preachers as having much busi- 
ness capacity, but then and there I lifted my hat to 

14: 



ON THE SEAS 

them. However, the agent told me to be on hand 
Sunday at 9:15 a. m., when the list was being made 
up and possibly some one might surrender his place. 

I was there, but everyone stuck. However, a New 
York and a Chicago man had purchased a stateroom 
together at New Orleans for the round trip. The 
Chicago man was unable to use his return passage, 
which cost him $75, and he wanted the United Fruit 
Company to redeem it, which the local agents refused 
to do, informing him that he would have to take it 
up with the main office in New York. 

The New York man was a perfect gentleman. He 
was religious and never failed to say his evening pray- 
ers. The Chicago man was very profane, and took 
a bottle of whisky for his companion, to occupy the 
third berth in the stateroom. So the New York gen- 
tleman occupied his berth but one night, Captain 
Lockhart kindly taking care of him. He was delighted 
when he found his roommate was likely not to return, 
both being entire strangers to each other before this 
meeting. 

When the Chicago man appeared at the ticket office 
and explained his desire, I was most happy. But when 
he found the company refused to refund, and that 
another man was waiting to take the ticket, he refused 
to surrender. He went to the boat and informed his 
roommate that he was about to sell his return passage 
'' to a dirty old Spaniard." The New York man was 
almost crazy, as he was very fastidious in dress, chang- 
ing daily and alwaj^s washing and bathing. He 
appealed to the captain, who again promised to care 
for him. Thus this Chicago man went back and forth 
four times to force the New York gentleman to reim- 

15 



THK SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

burse him or force me to j^ay a bonus. We both were 
iouoraut of each otiiei' and of tlie situation, but both 
stood pat; and when lie returned the fourth time he 
surrendered his ticket and the a^ent turned it over 
to me. 

And this is tlie type of men some of our American 
houses send down to get South American trade. Their 
object is to swindle the other fellow. They are neither 
o-entlemen nor honorable business men. They force 
themselves on others at times when they give offense, 
and thus leave a bad impression. The commercial man 
rushes into a business man's place and is noisy and 
boastful. He does not hesitate to express an opinioii 
on local affairs — even to criticise. He lacks diplomacy 
and finesse, and gi-aciousness ; and his manner does 
not compare favorably with that of the polite Span- 
iard. The Spaniard wants to take his time and look 
over his stock and send his order by mail. This is 
about the only way he will do business. The American" 
is brusque, and wants a written order on the spot; 
and this is why the commercial interests of the United 
States are making poor headway with the South Amer- 
ican republics. I have traveled with some Spaniards 
who were out soliciting- trade from their own people; 
and they simply called, had a friendly visit, and left 
a business card with a request to be remembered when 
anything in their line Avas needed. When an order 
is sent in, it is given an honest count, and filled 
promptly and exactly as ordered. The Americans have 
much to learn. Too many have been short-changing 
each other in the past, and their attitude must be 
altered to one of kindness and consideration and 
respect for the ways and habits of the foreign customer. 

16 



ON THE SEAS 

I almost forg'ot the missionaries. There were a lot 
of good fellows among' them. They gave me a dele- 
gate's card. Possibly I looked as if I needed reform- 
ing. But I had nothing over them. Some of them 
changed suits two or' three times a day and paid 
a dollar for a meal and four dollars for a bed, without 
' ' batting an eye. ' ' I thought if I could get rid of a lot 
of my bad ways I would like to become a missionary. 
Of course such luxury appeals to me; but if the mis- 
sionary's life were deprived of the same, the desire 
might also disappear. 

When we all went to our different staterooms the 
thought occurred to me what a farce some government 
regulations are. We were not required to take an 
examination to get on the boat; so I said to the New 
York gentleman, * ' I snore some, do you ? ' ' He said, 
^' Yes." I said, " I have never been seasick, have 
you?" He said, "No." This was very important to 
me because I had the lower berth and it was optional 
with him to take the upper one or the couch. If he 
were subject to seasickness and decided to occupy the 
upper one, he might cause me to wish for the genius 
of a Noah to build an ark to get away from the flood. 
But to make him feel happy, not then knowing what had 
transpired between him and the Chicago man, I remarked 
that I was not examined before being permitted to 
enter the ship, but, to be frank with him, I had been 
exposed to the seven-year itch. It was not my fault 
we were placed in the same stateroom, but it might be 
that my condition would force us both into quarantine, 
and possibly all the passengers on the ship. I thought 
I could see his toes working in his shoes. Be this as 
it may, we confessed to each other and became friends; 

17 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

and he occupied his stateroom every uight, and on our 
arrival left us with regrets, to take a line direct to 
New York. He did this going down, and deposited 
$50 to hold his passage and to escape his Chicago 
partner. He came back to our boat three times to 
bid us good-by. His name is Mr. Dobbs. He is a 
hatter, a charming fellow and a companionable traveler. 
The Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico were quiet 
and without interest. A few flying fish were all that 
disturbed us at first; but one morning bright and 
early a signal of distress came from a little sailing 
schooner. It had eight women and four men and 
some freight. Our ship went to its relief and found 
that it had started from Colon bound for St. Andrews 
Island. Because of bad weather, it ran almost out 
of water, although miles of water were all around. 
They had been out seventeen days and were lost. Their 
destination was 500 miles away at the start and it was 
still forty miles away. Our captain told the men to 
come and get water; and they lowered a small boat and 
placed a barrel on board. One man handled the oars, 
one tended the rudder and a third dipped out the 
water thrown in the boat by the rough sea. When 
the men came alongside, the barrel was taken on 
board, filled, and lowered in a few minutes. Our 
captain called down and asked if they were short of 
food. The Jamaican captain — for all were black — 
looked up and with a grateful smile, said, " Yes, cap- 
tain, we are almost out, ' ' and Captain Lockhart ordered 
a bunch of bananas and provisions lowered at once. 
They started back to their frail little craft with cheer- 
ful hearts and renewed courage. We all waved 
our hands and wished them well. Strangers we were, 

18 



ON THE SEAS 

yet all members of one human family. Captain Lock- 
hart must have been happier for his kindness and 
assistance to those in distress; and those who witnessed 
this act of charity by a powerful corporation, through 
one of its officers, could not but pause and meditate 
on the impulses back of the act, — an act which taught 
us all to love and be kind one to another. Men and 
women should be known by their deeds, their actions, 
rather than words. We all are weak, and a smile, a 
kind word, costs nothing and may do a world of good 
to some one somewhere, strangers though they are, 
alone and unknown. 

After leaving Cristobal, P. R., our first stop was 
at the port of Almiranti, P. R. Here was our first 
contact with the United Fruit Company and its great 
enterprises. Our stay was long so we took the train and 
visited banana plantations, both in the Panama and 
Costa Rica republics, and saw bananas by the mile ; and, 
strange to say, they were surrounded by jungles which 
were inhabited by monkeys, baboons, lions, tigers, and 
snakes. Swamps and marshes were everywhere-. 

This corporation has about 110 ships, largely 
owned but some chartered. It has two and one-half 
millions of acres of land, largely owned but some 
leased, located in Colombia, Panama, Costa Rica, 
Nicaragua, Honduras, Guatemala, Cuba, and Jamaica. 
Although it is not twenty years old, it has a capital 
of $70,000,000 and assets of nearly $100,000,000. 

Two boys in their teens left home with impulses 
to do something worth while. They are now the moving 
spirits in this great enterprise. Golf, cricket, baseball, 
dancing, etc., had no charms for either one. Minor 
C. Keith, vice-president, went to Texas, and at twenty- 

19 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

one OAvned 4,000 head of cattle and a good bank account. 
The other, Andrew W. Preston, went to Boston and 
entered the fruit business. Both were poor at first, 
but now they are many times millionaires. One is 
69 and the other 71, and the}^ are still at the game, one 
being in New York and the other in Boston. 

At the age of 23 Mr. Keith had sold his Texas 
investment and was trying to build a railroad 100 miles 
long from the Atlantic to San Jose, the capital of 
Costa Rica. At one end it was over swamps at the 
sea, and at the other end it was over mountains and 
reached an elevation of 5,000 feet. These swamps got 
three of his brothers and 4,000 of his men died in the 
effort. He succeeded, but he had no freight. He ex- 
perimented with the banana, made a success and then 
hunted for a market. At the same time, Mr. Preston 
was doing the same thing in Jamaica and afterwards 
in Cuba; and he was successful. Keith grew fast and 
his ideas enlarged rapidly. He conceived the idea of 
building all the railroads for Central American repub- 
lics and eventually connecting North America with 
South America by rail, and at the same time marketing 
his tropical fruits. These plans were heroic for a 
young man to contemplate, to say nothing of the dif- 
ficulty of their execution. To make a long story short, 
he met with financial reverses and introduced himself 
to his competitor, Mr. Preston, now president; and they 
joined forces, saving Keith, and out of Keith's plans, 
both became kings in finance. Such characters are 
Napoleons in civil life. They created wealth out of 
something that did not exist^ before, and in a locality 
that was not only considered worthless but dangerous, 
and which ivas dangerous. Such men deserve all honor. 

20 



ON THE SEAS 

They created a cheap, wholesome food for the rich and 
the poor. The raising, sale and distribution of their 
products have been reduced to a science. They sell 
bananas all over the world cheaper than you can buy 
apples of your neighbor, and they are much more valu- 
able as a food product. We need more such men who 
do not hamper geniuses because they are successful. 
Washington, Clay, Webster, and Franklin never tasted 
a banana. The Keiths have made it possible for all man- 
kind to enjo}^ this delicious food. 

There has come into existence a ground parasite 
that kills banana plants in twelve to fifteen years; and 
the ground is worthless for bananas thereafter. They 
have experts employed and have expended fortunes to 
kill it, but so far have failed. About four hundred 
plants grow on an acre, and each plant produces one 
stem or bunch every nine months. A new plant grows 
from the old root, and so on, until the earth parasite 
destroys it. A stem weighs from fifty to seventy pounds. 
On the average, an acre will produce about two hun- 
dred stems in one year. Attached to the plant, a stem 
is worth from 35 to 50 cents. It is very perishable 
and must be handled promptly or it is a total loss. 
The plant requires much moisture, hence Central 
America is the garden spot for bananas, for in some 
places it rains from 100 to 200 inches a year. The 
bridges and railroads are washed out; and much labor, 
delay and expense are occasioned. Again there are 
some seasons when the rain is deficient and the crop 
is short. 

The natives are worthless as laborers because they 
are uncertain and lazy, hence Jamaica Negroes are 
here by the thousands. They are sensitive, so the 

21 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

whites are called ''gold" and the colored people ''sil- 
ver." The3^ are fine workers and are happy and stick 
to the job. They get 10 cents an hour. The company 
rents a hut to the employes for a small charge; em- 
ploys both preachers and doctors; erects church build- 
ings, hospitals, and stores that supply food and medi- 
cines ; and looks after the health and sanitary conditions 
of its property. It employs about seventy thousand men 
by contract. That is, a foreman has so many men 
and agrees to look after and cut the fruit from a cer- 
tain space and deliver it at the railroad track. Other- 
wise it would be impossible to work so man}' men 
without loss. 

Railroad tracks run all through the plantations. 
The stems are cut green, placed on cars, covered and 
brought to the dock in the evening of the same day. 
They are brought by the train load and loaded on 
the ships at night so the sun will not injure them. If 
one ripe banana is found on a stem, the whole stem is 
discarded because it might contaminate a whole cargo. 
They are inspected in the field, then again at the dock, 
and again and again when being placed in position in 
the hold of the ship. A cooling plant on the ship 
keeps them at 53 degrees. They are loaded on the 
cars at the destination at night. Two banana mes- 
sengers accompany the train to watch the temperature, 
and as the train passes certain points a resident 
messenger checks the temperature of the cars to see 
that the banana messengers going with the train are 
doing their duty. Think of a small grower meeting 
such conditions! The bananas are cheap because the 
same concern ships and distributes them at your door 
without middlemen, and here is the secret of cheap 

22 



ON THE SEAS 

living. The middlemen make foodstuffs high. This 
company also raises coffee, cocoanuts, pineapples, cocoa, 
oranges, molasses, and sugar. Central America is the 
place for tropical fruits and the cheapest place in the 
world to produce sugar. Sugar cane here will stand 
from twelve to fifteen years without replanting. In 
Louisiana it must be replanted every three years and 
it is foolish to try to compete Avhen conditions are so 
unfavorable. Sugar and bananas are the cheapest 
foods on earth. This company is now producing 150,000 
tons a year in Cuba, one-half of the total production in 
Louisiana. 

It also raises horses, mules, and hogs; and has 
65,000 head of cattle to produce milk, cheese, and beef 
for its employes. 

A banana is not fit to eat until its jacket turns 
brown, because it is excessive in starch when yellow. 
In a short time this starch chemically increases in 
sugar; and in order to be choice, a banana must be 
separated from the plant green, which is contrary to 
most all other fruits. 

The United Fruit Company handles about 30 per 
cent of the bananas sold on the market. We took 41,143 
stems, brought in by thirty-two trains of eight cars 
each; the stems were loaded in the hull of our ship in 
twelve hours by machinery operated by electricity. 

We stopped at Bocas del Toro, another banana port. 
The truth is, this company makes all the business on 
the east coast of Central America. It owns and oper- 
ates about 1,500 miles of railroad located in the differ- 
ent republics. 

The Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico were 
as quiet as Sunday, except for the noise made by a 

23 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

monkey which one of the boys had bought and was 
bringing- to the States. The rest of them considered 
it a nuisance, but dared not molest it for fear of trouble. 
It was cavorting and climbing around everywhere, so 
one of the hoys greased its tail. It was unaware of its 
condition, and when it attempted to hang by its tail 
it was like some politicians hanging on one issue. The 
tail slipped and into the ocean went the monkey. It 
is needless to say it was drowned. 

We arrived at Havana and remained tliere a day. 
It has a population of nearly 300,000; some building 
was going on and business was fairly good. 

The city is clean, with narrow streets; and the 
buildings, except some up-to-date structures, are old 
and rusty with age. Cuba is growing, beyond a doubt ; 
but largely from an injection of foreign energy and 
capital. The Cubans do not take the American push 
and energy very kindly. They prefer their old quiet 
way without any rush to it. Yet millionaires are 
growing even there. 

I attended the funeral of a wealthy lawyer who 
had been prominent in politics. I saw the cream of 
Cuba there. There were some bright, capable, hand- 
some fellows, well dressed and in turnouts as fine as 
you would see anywhere. Not a woman joined the 
procession. They must not show their grief on such 
occasions. The body was taken from the late home, a 
Jiandsome residence, direct to the cemetery. 

Then, there is Moro Castle with its dungeons and 
dark passage-ways, some leading to the sea, in which 
men were starved, murdered and pushed out in the 
water for the sharks. What a horrible method for 
any government to adopt! 

24 



ON THE SEAS 

During her life, Queen Isabella instituted many 
cruel things that grew and brought much misery to 
her subjects. It is well that she is dead and that 
our government ordered all these dark places sealed up, 
closed forever, to be forgotten and abhorred by all 
future generations. To die is natural; and a quick 
death is preferable to a slow lingering one. To starve 
or try to starve a human being must be shocking to 
the God who created us that we all might enjoy the 
beauties and pleasures of life which are ours without 
the asking, and that we might build up, enlarge and 
develop to its greatest capacity the individual good 
and the good and welfare of all. 



25 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 



New Orleans 

FOR a hundred miles we notice the fresh water 
from the IMississippi River pushing itself out into 
the dark green water of the sea as we approach 
this city. Many miles before we reach the bar, a 
pilot meets us, takes charge of the ship and safely 
guides us to one of its mouths. The river has fourteen 
openings into the sea, two only, the southwest and the 
south, being improved for navigation. The former is 
used mostly for deep draft vessels. We came through 
the south entrance. Our sea pilot left us when we 
reached the mouth or bar and a river pilot took his 
place. From the bar to the city is 110 miles. 

The river was muddy and high, and had a swift 
current because of excessive rains along its course. It 
was up. to its highest record. It had broken over 
levies at several places, and miles of lowland were being 
inundated. Thus, in generations gone by this river 
has made some of the richest land in the world. For 
miles and miles, not a sign of life was seen. Finally 
some cattle were seen grazing on the right, and event- 
ually houses appeared, and as we neared the city they 
increased. On the left we saw orange orchards, and 
on the right rice fields. The river was from ten to 
fifteen feet above the land and was kept in place by the 
levies. It takes all kinds of people to make a world, 
but I am not one of those who wish to live here. 

We made the journey on slow speed to avoid wash- 
ing away the levies, and in the evening arrived in a 
harbor filled with ships from all directions, loading 
and unloading everything. The harbor is forty-one 
miles around, and, when improved and used, is big 

26 



NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA 

enough to compete with any city in the world and to 
accommodate the whole Mississippi valley with the 
cheapest transportation facilities known to man. The 
past year it became second in the volume of business 
handled, which amounted to over $300,000,000 of ex- 
ports and imports; New York City alone surpassing 
it. The harbor is owned by the State of Louisiana 
and managed by a dock commission independent of all 
political influences. It has just completed a cotton 
warehouse costing over $3,000,000, with a capacity of 
2,000,000 bales. They are going to issue warehouse 
receipts on merchandise stored, backed by the State 
as security for loans, and thus bid for cheap surplus 
money in the Middle States, and in a measure free 
themselves from a depressed cotton market and New 
York City money. They have been asleep since 1860 
and are just beginning to go after business in a busi- 
ness-like way. They are going to build warehouses 
for wheat, oats and other products on a large scale. 
The Mississippi River may again be what it once was, 
filled with freighters. They look on the Panama Canal 
as an injury to the interior, through the new rulings on 
continental freights ; and its salvation is to do busi- 
ness through the New Orleans port. Time will tell. 
Possibly New England is the section to be greatly bene- 
fitted by the Panama Canal in a commercial way, and 
the nation in a military way. The city owns and 
operates a belt railway passing all the docks. It is 
building canals through the city upon which small 
boats can operate with factories along the side, thus 
putting factories originating freight into close contact 
with the shipping facilities. It charges two dollars for 
switching cars, and '' empties" are handled free. 

37 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

The city has a population of about 375,000 and 
is a typical Southern city. It is governed by the com- 
mission form of government, consisting of five members. 
Its weakness is politics, small men getting in and play- 
ing the game for self rather than for business and the 
good of the city. Yet it has accomplished much, and 
the new life in the city is due largely to the new form 
of government. The harbor improvements started with 
the new life injected into the city. It draws from 
the Mississippi the muddy water for domestic use, and 
filters and treats it, making it the best water in the 
world. It has put in a new sewer system, and looks 
after the garbage and the sanitation of the city, so 
that mosquitoes have substantially disappeared. It is 
filling in the marshes and low grounds, and New Orleans 
to-day is a new and a healthy city. It has cleaned 
house and is keeping it clean, for it is now under the 
influence of the federal health service, which has abso- 
lute control of the port. The street car service is fine. 

This city is rich in history and romance. Here 
was the first settlement on the lower part of the river, 
the town having been laid out by Bienville in 1718; 
and some of the buildings erected shortly thereafter 
are still standing. Everything dates from the spot 
of the parish church upon which the present cathe- 
dral stands. In front of this cathedral is Jackson 
Park where stands the Jackson monument, an eques- 
trian figure of the famous general, with " his guns," 
mounted thereon. Along the side on the left is the 
Presbyterian church now used by the State Agricul- 
tural Society to display the products of the State, 
including its minerals and resources ; and on the right 
IS the Cabildo in which is located the State museum 

28 



NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA 

with war relics of all kinds, especially of the civil 
war, and including the famous painting by Lami of 
the battle of New Orleans in the war of 1812. They 
claim to have the original death plaster cast of Napo- 
leon, taken at the time by his physician. In fact, 
everything one sees is musty with age; and it is old. 
We stood in the room where in 1803 representatives of 
Napoleon, on behalf of France, and of Thomas Jeffer- 
son on behalf of the United States, transferred to the 
latter what is known as the Louisiana Purchase, out of 
which fourteen States have been made. Spain sold 
it to France and within three days it was sold by 
France to us, and why? Napoleon feared it would 
fall into the hands of England, and to frustrate Eng- 
land and befriend us he made the deal — a wise piece 
of diplomacy all around. 

The State Historical Society meets here. They will 
tell you that ''the Spanish wrought-iron door and the 
old marble stairway" have welcomed many distin- 
guished visitors. Louis Philippe, Aaron Burr, John J. 
Audubon, Marquis de Lafayette, the Duke of Saxe- 
Weimar, Zachary Taylor and many other presidents, 
foreign potentates and distinguished visitors have all 
helped to wear away the much indented stairsteps. 
No doubt the steps are well worn. And I went up 
those same steps and through the same ''wrought-iron 
door" but did not leave my footprints on the sands 
of time. I wanted to be, and was, considerate of the 
colored janitor. 

When I came out to go away, an old colored 
woman spied me as she turned the corner and backed 
up. When I arrived she said, "I am cold — the wind 
just blows through me. Yesterday I wanted to take 

29 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

off all my clothes, and to-day I want to put more on." 
I admitted it was somewhat colder and asked her if 
she had resided long in the city. She said, ''Yes, sar, 
long befo' the war. My mndder brought me here 
when I was only seven years old and I have been here 
ever since." "Well, you must know this city pretty 
well." "Yes sar, I dun know it well." "What do 
you think of it?" "It is no good any more. No 
good for the black man. No work for him. All for the 
white people. When the republicans had it after the 
war it just seemed you could pick money off the street. 
That time's dun gone. Some people claim they are 
white people." "What do you mean by some peo- 
ple, the Creoles or Octoroons?" "Yes, they are all 
the same. Just these people whose mudder was a black 
woman and their father a white man, just a Nigger 
like myself all the same. They get all the work." I. 
thanked her and started to go. She looked up with 
her toes poking their noses out of her old shoes for 
fresh air and said, "Say, boss, have you five cents 
about you, you can give me?" "Sure, that will buy 
six bananas and for two days you can live like a queen. ' ' 
"The poor you shall always have with you," here 
and everywhere. Poor people have poor ways or they 
would not be poor. Of course, once in a while there 
will be exceptions to all rules. 

A Creole is the fruit of a combination of the native 
French and Spanish-Americans, and the West Indians 
descended from European ancestors. Many Creoles 
are here, but few pure French are left. Formerly 
many lived here, but Frenchmen are lost and lonely 
away from France — and Paris. They long for and 
nearly all soon migrate back to their native land. They 

30 



NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA 

are not pioneers in any sense, except in the arts, lit- 
terature, and science work in their native land. 

This city is much like San Francisco — quite cos- 
mopolitan. Many nationalities are found here, espe- 
cially Italians. 

Canal Street runs from the harbor north and is 
176 feet wide, a magnificent thoroughfare, dividing the 
city into two parts, the one on the right being the 
old or French and Spanish section and the one on 
the left the new or American section. All side streets 
run into Canal Street. They have different names, 
but are laid out in such a way that they are a con- 
tinuation east and west across Canal Street. The 
street railway has four tracks on Canal Street, which 
are used as a base for going to all parts of the city, 
both east and west; and both belt lines use the Canal 
Street tracks in making the circuit. The system is well 
managed, has good cars, and renders quick and con- 
venient service. 

On entering the first car which I used, I sat down 
at the back end because there was plenty of room. The 
conductor came in and told me I could not sit there 
for it was the "Jim Crow" end. I apologized, arose 
and went forward. The next time I climbed on a car, 
it was so full I could not get in ; so I stood on the 
back platform. The number of blacks and whites was 
about equal. Neither side was ordered off; so we 
all rode in peace, and contentment, at least I did, 
realizing that the law permitted us to stand together 
but not sit together. When we all pay the same, act 
in a gentlemanly and ladylike way, and are promis- 
cuously thrown together in our efforts to make a liv- 
ing and maintain our self respect, it is hard to frame 

31 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

a law to sa}' one is not as good as another so long as 
lie or she behaves himself, and is np to the average 
in all things. 

I took a trip in the old section where the poor are 
everywhere, in one room, downstairs and upstairs, in 
nooks and corners and crevices, some big and some 
small, some at work and some idle, some laughing and 
some playing, but all apparently happy and contented 
with their lot, their conditions and surroundings. 
Though small, the shops covered all lines of trade, some 
odd and others interesting. 

I came to a place which I could see was a jewelry 
store. That is, the front room was; and needing a 
silk cord for my glasses, I walked in, approached the 
proprietor and told him what I wanted. He was a 
mild, gentle, elderly gentleman. However, I glanced 
around the room on entering, and noticed a living room 
at the back. An old lady put out her head and sized 
me up from head to foot. He told me he had such 
things somewhere and started to locate them. The old 
lady kept her eye on me. He finally found them, 
just a few, and told me the price was five cents each. 
The day before I left Des Moines a friend in the jewelry 
business sold me one for 35 cents. I always regarded 
him as a ''friend" for he never sued me for libel and 
I never had reason to doubt him until I stood in this 
shop. -Well, sir," I said, 'Til buy your stock." 
The old lady immediately slipped out into the front 
room and locked the safe, indicating by such actions, 
of course, that they had valuables in the safe, and she 
did not know about me. I was likely a possible " crook," 
and I had to laugh, for the old lady had me dead to 
i-ights. And then the old man laughed— but not until 

32 



NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA 

the safe was locked. Now liad I stolen the contents of 
the safe I might have qualified myself as a candi- 
date for commissioner of some municipality somewhere 
in some place, for the dear people never seem to dif- 
ferentiate. They like and admire a hero, and I lost 
an opportunity of becoming a hero to a good purpose. 

The people had their washing hanging out in every 
direction, and it was not wash day either, not the day 
I was reared to consider as such. Now at Balboa they 
wash every da3\ The whole town is flying in the air 
every day in the week. There Goethals makes them 
bathe, whistle to keep up their spirits and wear clean 
clothes. Of course you can afford to do this in Balboa, 
for a friend of mine got his duck suit washed and 
ironed for 20 cents. Laundry bills must have been 
this low in days of old, when it was said ^'Cleanliness 
is next to godliness." When I can keep clean at so 
low a cost I am going to get in on the ground floor. 
But this was a poor colored wash woman and they are 
as thick here as mosquitoes. God bless them, may they 
inherit the kingdom of heaven, for they have not gotten 
a square deal at all times on this mundane sphere. 
One day while I was standing on a corner in Panama 
City, a little ice cart went by, stopped and whistled. 
A wash woman came out on the piazza from a third 
floor and let down a basicet attached to a rope. The 
m.an went to the basket, dropped in a pound of ice, 
took out the money and up went the basket and the 
ice. I thought it would melt before it arrived at its 
destination. 

Now this gives you a picture of the conditions 
and surroundings of the old town of New Orleans. 
The people are more intelligent and more industrious, 

33 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

but just as poor ; aud if the climate were as warm here 
as in Panama City they would be no better clothed, 
for Spanish predominates in both sections or towns. 
Most of the houses are old and rusty. Some are one 
story, some two and some three; but they are divided 
and redivided and occupied by the masses who live and 
have their behiji: here and come up to Canal Street 
for their eating. The streets are narrow and dusty. 

Canal Street does the commercial business of the 
city. The five drygoods stores are located on this 
street, and it has some good ones. Also the fine jewelry, 
millinery, clothing and shoe stores are here. Rents are 
very high. A building three stories high will com- 
mand from $10,000 to $15,000 a year at the busy 
cornei-s. Fine candy and drug stores, doing a little of 
everything, are able to stay on this street. 

All hotels, financial institutions and smaller busi- 
ness concerns hug on each side of the street or only 
a block away. This is the hub of the retail center, 
and it is not over seven or eight blocks long. The high 
rents are sending business west up St. Charles Street, 
which touc'hes Canal Street in the business center. 

Business has been at a very low ebb here, but about 
last November it began to revive. It is a moral crime 
for anyone to say business is bad in this city. All are 
educated to look on the bright side of things and say 
It is good. Now, a merchant never, or seldom ever, 
discharges his help. He lays them off temporarilv, 
which period is like a rubber band. It may be for 
weeks, months or years. This is done when customers 
are slow in supplying their wants and this is often the 
excuse. It is only a convenience all around, the clerk 
gettmg a vacation without pay. 

34 



NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA 

Clerks are plentiful. A big wage is $12 a week. 
Many are selling on commission, and get what they 
make, much or little. Some men clerks at dry goods 
counters are getting $7 a week. Some people would 
consider this beneficial, as no margin is given for dis- 
sipation or extravagance. The recipient of wages from 
$3 to $7 per week, the amount the majority get, can 
walk in the narrow and straight way, and not yield 
to temptation of any kind. 

Goods are sold cheap here, and living is cheap. 
Reduce 'the capacity of the consumers to buy and you 
always bring about a reduction of the cost of living, 
except as to rents, which are up or down in accordance 
with high or low taxes. You cannot have high taxes 
and low rents at the same time, for conditions will 
adjust themselves, and high taxes and high rents have 
produced more than one revolution in the past. 

Taxes are high here the same as in most of our 
American cities, a condition caused largely by political 
corruption. The bonded indebtedness is about thirty- 
five millions and the floating indebtedness is very large. 
Like most cities, the salary list would bankrupt any 
private concern, being made necessarily large to pay 
political debts. This of course is nothing more than le- 
galized stealing, of which all public officials should be 
ashamed. But it is the same almost everywhere. The 
people do not act wisely in selecting their public offi- 
cials because they are incapable of acting as a unit. 
More appointive and fewer elective public officials is 
the salvation of the day. 

This city has four National banks and eleven bank and 
trust companies, fifteen in all. On March 1, 1916, they 
held $100,000,000 on deposit. The clearances last year 

35 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

were almost $1,000,000,000. They are strong, conserva- 
tive, and making money. It is a good banking point, and 
the few engaged in the business find it very profitable. 
Most cities have too many banks, which condition is an 
element of weakness rather than of strength. 

In its termination before emptying into the sea, the 
Mississippi River winds around very much; and this 
city is situated in one of these bends forming a cres- 
cent. Hence it is called the *' Crescent City." The 
streets do not always run with the compass, so, as I 
have before stated. Canal Street is more east and west 
than it is north and south. 

Many years ago Canal Street contained a canal 
and the street ran along the side, hence the name. 
Canal Street. In subsequent years the canal was dis- 
continued and filled in, hence the street's width. 

In some places, water in great abundance prevails 
four feet under ground and in other places it is 
nearer the surface. Hence cellars or basements are 
impossible. To properly take care of the sewage was 
no small problem. In former years it ran in gutters 
in the streets. This was bad and caused much sick- 
ness. The problem was solved by building conduits 
under the ground running several miles west, both sur- 
face and sanitary sewers in one, to a reservoir near 
a large lake. The reservoir was made deep enough 
to give sufficient incline to the underground conduits 
for the water to run into the large reservoirs where a 
pumping station was erected to pump the contents 
of the reservoir into the lake,, thus giving to the city 
a perfect sewer system and making of it a healthful 
place. The next nuisance dispensed with was the rats. 
By making cement floors, building cement docks, and 

36 



NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA 

cleaning up generally the rats and conditions harbor- 
ing them, the people have created out of an old, filthy 
city a new, clean city, a fit place in which to live, and 
an ideal spot for a winter's sojourn for people desiring 
to get away from the snow and ice. It is only thirty 
hours' ride from the middle west. 

The cemeteries are an interesting study. Masons, 
Odd Fellows, Catholics, Jews, and so on, have ceme- 
teries everywhere in the western part of town. They 
are in all stages of preservation, some old and some 
new, hundreds of acres used for this purpose alone. 
What a waste of good land ! This condition exists every- 
where, more or less. To me, cremation seems to be the 
only sensible and sane disposition of the body, espe- 
cially here. The water being so near the surface, the 
people would not think of putting their friends over 
two or three feet in the ground. Some do this and 
then mound the ground up two or three feet, thus 
preventing the decaying body from becoming offensive 
to the living. A headstone is erected and flowers, 
plants, etc., beautify as well as locate the lot and rest- 
ing place of the deceased. Only a few are done this 
way, however. The majority of them have erected 
mausoleums in all styles of architecture, resembling 
churches, dwellings, cottages, etc., some very handsome, 
really beautiful in design and expensive. Many of 
these mausoleums have cost from $10,000 to $15,000; 
especially those erected in Metairie Cemetery. This 
formerly was a racetrack, and now contains 200 acres. 
It was established in 1873. The grounds are beauti- 
fully laid out. The streets are narrow and paved, 
and are fringed with palms, tropical plants and orna- 
mental trees so arranged as to make a pleasing effect. The 

37 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

little dwellings are arranged in order, above ground, 
with porches and steps to many of them. The sur- 
roundings are impressive and serious as the visitor 
wanders from one ''sleeping home" to another. It 
may be a child, a wife, a father, a sister, or a brother; 
and it may be a whole family of long ago, all gone to 
return no more. Judging by the large number of 
chairs, settees, and the like on the porch, on the walk, 
just outside and near the door, there is no doubt 
that there are many who feel the spirit of the departed 
friends. They are above ground, ''just inside the 
house" and near and with you in feeling as well as 
spirit. You know they are within, so you sit and visit 
and commune with the departed day after day, happy 
and contented with the pleasure of a supposed per- 
sonal contact and going away knowing you will soon 
be there also, maybe to-morrow. 

Many societies have been organized and have erected 
large vaults, holding twenty or more bodies, placed 
in crypts. Statuary of angels, Christ, children, etc., 
abounds everywhere; and some are fine subjects of art. 

At the main entrance on a high mound is a fine 
equestrian figure, in bronze, of Albert Sidney Johnston, 
one of the greatest generals, either North or South, in 
the Civil War. The battle of Corinth and the death 
of Johnston there, by a stray bullet, on April 6, 1862, 
were the beginning of the end of the Confederacy. 
When he made the charge on Sherman at 5 o'clock in 
the morning on that day, he found Sherman's army 
surprised. Some were in bed, and some at breakfast, 
all were unprepared. An army of 50,000 was shot 
down, routed, ruined, and reduced to 20,000 because 
Its general failed and neglected to be on his guard. 

38 



NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA 

The arrival of Biiell and Wallace with reinforcements 
next morning turned the tide because Johnston's suc- 
cessor, Beauregard, who was in poor health, failed to 
clinch the victory the night before, but retreated and lost 
all. They are proud of Johnston all through the South 
and have so honored him. They are great to honor 
their heroes. Gen. Eobert E. Lee's monument, with- 
out name or mark of any kind, stands in a circle on 
St. Charles Street, seventy-five feet high. Jefferson 
Davis' monument is in the Davis park. Beauregard's 
stands at the entrance to the city park. The people 
here are great for monuments to perpetuate the mem- 
ory of the dead, not a bad trait to be found in human 
character regardless of the cause. 

The city has erected many new school buildings, 
and they are modern and up-to-date. Teachers are 
paid the same as in the average American city. Col- 
ored people are provided with separate schools taught 
by both white and colored teachers. 

The colored man's lot is fixed and determined in 
the South for all time, regardless of legislation. He 
will never be assimilated by the white people. His 
future position is that of servant, and so he will always 
remain. Colored people are numerous here, and their 
lot is to do the hard work. The brick masons and hod 
carriers are colored. So are most of the carpenters, 
the teamsters, the dock hands, the toilers of the soil, 
and carriers of burdens, servants in houses, etc. The 
mule, the two-wheel cart and the colored man with a 
load of wood, coal, dirt, manure, and so on, are a 
common sight. Colored servants are plentiful and 
cheap, every dwelling having one or more. They bring 
you a toothpick, hold your horse while you get on, 

39 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

brush your clothes, clean the lawn, in fact do all the 
work, except what little is done by the ' 'white trash." 
The hig'her classes of whites do the clerical work, all 
the bossing and most of the loafing'. Colored servants 
are cheap and plentiful, and woe unto the ''white 
trash." Their lot is a hard one, more deplorable than 
the colored man's, so they have taken to strong drink, 
loafing and downright worthlessness. 

The Carnival is an organization dating from 1872. 
It is given just before Lent. It begins about January 6 
of each yesir, is purely social, and marks the passing of 
winter into spring. The carnival ends with a pageant 
of floats, each one portraying some historical, literary 
or poetical subject. They are designed with great 
care, and are beautiful and expensive, some costing 
$1,000 each. The Carnival lasts one week. The city is 
divided into clubs and leagues, some with large mem- 
bership. The members pay annual dues, and in this 
way the different organizations create a rivalry, each 
trying to make its night and the ball with which it 
ends, the best. 

The last day and night are given to the business 
men's club, this organization being financially the 
strongest. Comus, as it is called, gives a dress ball 
after the parade, and the king, or Rex, gives another 
ball for the masses. The stores close on this day and 
the young people mask the last day and appear on the 
streets; and the town is theirs, especially Canal Street. 
This year it was filled with people, all vehicles being 
barred. Some of the maskers had very pretty cos- 
tumes. Some of the girls wear pants and the boys 
dresses, not knowing "who is who." Everyone seems 
to enter into the frolic wholeheartedly. Then at night 

40 



NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA 

there are the parade and the balls. Prizes are given 
for excellence in different lines. There is no advertis- 
ing of any kind. All expenses are paid out of a com- 
mon fund of $75,000 to $100,000, and it is estimated that 
from 50,000 to 60,000 people attend and leave about 
$1,500,000 behind them each year. 

The city can do this because of the mild climate 
at this season of the year. But in June mosquitoes 
come in by the millions. They are hatching just out- 
side of the city now. Sometimes they move in earlier. 
This city has from five to six months of hot weather 
in a year; and then is the time the mosquitoes come 
in and have their carnival, biting pretty girls and lazy 
men. What fine sport they do have ! 



41 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 



Gulfport, Mississippi 

WHEN we got oil the train leaving New Orleans 
for this place, a married couple from New York 
sat opposite to ns. Both were well dressed and 
refined; and, without doubt, they were people of posi- 
tion and ability at home. 

When everything was adjusted and the woman sat 
down and relaxed, she glanced out of the window and 
remarked: ''I am glad that at last we are on the 
train leaving this dirty, filthy city. It is unclean in 
more waj^s than one. The buildings and dwellings are 
permitted to rust and decay. The streets and cess- 
pools or cisterns are the breeders of diseases, and the 
people are haughty, proud, lazy and high tempered — 
their fingers on the triggers all the time." She was 
not happy; and, from their conversation, we inferred 
that they had made a visit to the Mardi Gras and inci- 
dentally visited some friends, the latter not wholly 
pleasant, for she further remarked that "she was really 
impudent and every one was looking for a tourist to 
pluck— get something for nothing." 

Later, I was in conversation with a gentleman and 
he said he was glad he was getting out of the city. I 
asked him why. He said: ''They have a certain way 
to do business and they do not deviate from their 
custom or habit. They work schemes to get tourists 
from the North and East to come by the thousands, to 
get their money, and when they get them in the city 
they try to fleece them in every way. They do not give 
the visitors a square deal. Not only do they hold 
them up, but they treat them the same as if they all 

42 



GULFPORT, MISSISSIPPI 



were rascals." I asked him what he meant. ''Well," 
he said, ''I had Chicago exchange and went to the 
railroad office to buy my ticket and offered to pay for 
the same with a Chicago draft, both banks being the 
largest financial institutions in their respective States; 
and the agent informed me that he was prohibited 
from accepting anything but cash. I then called on 
three National banks to cash my exchange, and each 
one informed me that I would have to get a personal 
indorser, a responsible man, to identify me. I told 
them I was a tourist and knew no one personally, but 
had papers and documents on my person which would 
fully identify me as the paj^ee of the draft. Each 
said that would not do. There I was, 'a stranger in 
a strange cit}^ ' driven to desperation. I was a half-day 
trying to raise the cash. And one made me mad by 
saying, 'There are a good many tourists in the city 
and we must insist on our rule.' They are crooks, 
begging tourists to visit their city and spend their 
money and thus ease up local business depression." 

"Well," I remarked, "a few years ago hundreds 
of thousands of dollars of cotton warehouse receipts 
were executed in the city, and New Orleans banks 
loaned money on them and these banks, in turn, redis- 
counted the paper, with said receipts as collateral at- 
tached, to New York City bankers, who rediscounted 
them in London. Later, when they fell due, London 
found many of them were forgeries. Suits were brought 
on them in New York by the London parties, but I 
was unable to recall how the litigation ended." 

"There," he said, "I told you the crooks lived in 
the city of New Orleans. Not one tourist in a thou- 
sand gets in bad, and then only for a small amount, 

43 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

and it is usually his personal check." And so it goes. 
To kick is natural and sometimes justifiable. The peo- 
ple are ver}^ suspicious, and I do not understand why. 

One thing I was sorry to see as I was leaving the 
city. A few got together and decided that races during 
the Mardi Gras would increase the attendance, although 
the laws of the State prohibit racing. The papers and 
business men were appealed to, a corporation was 
formed, and the race meet was a great success. At the 
close the boosters got together and voted themselves 
$30,000; and the few crumbs, or the little that was 
left, was turned over to the stockholders, together with 
a lawsuit pending in court. There is too much of that 
spirit here. Before a party of influence helps in a 
cause, he asks how much there is in it for him. They 
will have to get away from this spirit. If they expect 
to expand and grow, they must practice self-sacrifice. 
A booster spirit is the willingness to sacrifice your 
individual interests for the good of all or the good of 
the community in which you live. 

Well, we arrived at Bay St. Louis, the first winter 
resort. It is located in Mississippi and has about 
2,500 people. It is quite democratic in every way, a 
place for the common people; and it is patronized 
largely by Louisiana and Mississippi people. It gives 
them an outing at little expense. However, it is sim- 
ply a change, for there is nothing much here. 

Our next stop was Pass Christian, pronounced with 
the accent on the last syllable when you want to be 
Frenchy, otherwise just plain English. This place was 
not known much until the winter of 1914, when Miss 
Herndon rented her cottage to President Wilson, who 
came with two automobiles, his servants and an army 

44 



GULFPORT, MISSISSIPPI 

of secret service men, who guarded the president and the 
premises day and night. It was just like a game of chess. 
When he moved, they moved; and after four weeks of 
this they all moved, together, back to Washington. 

But one thing he did. He put this place on the 
map, and ever since its citizens elevate their chins, 
throw back their heads and step high. They painted 
up, too, and they all try to look learned and smart. 
The other towns say ''Pass Christian people think 
themselves more aristocratic than the other towns round 
about, since the President's visit." 

The residence he occupied is plain, but simple and 
restful, with southern exposure and large porches. It 
is a frame building, having one story and a high base- 
ment. It is located at one edge of the town. There 
are several other cottages much larger and more pre- 
tentious — but. 

It is a very pretty and quiet place. It has good 
hotel facilities and at reasonable prices. Last Summer, 
157 automobiles were registered here. It possibly has 
a population of 2,500 people. All these places are 
considered both Summer and Winter resorts. In the 
Winter people from the North and New England come 
to these places, and in the Summer the Southern people 
occupy the cottages to escape the excessive heat in 
the interior. The rent in the Winter is double the 
amount charged in the Summer time. 

The storm last September destroyed all the piers, 
not one remaining; and it also did much other damage. 

From here we moved to Gulfport, more of a business 
town than a resort. It is a one-man town, and that 
man is dying from a stroke of paralysis in his own 
large, magnificent hotel, the Great Southern. 

45 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

He married Mrs. John D. Rockefeller's sister, and 
made his fortune in oil in northern Pennsylvania. It 
is estimated that he is worth $20,000,000; and he 
controls this town of about 6,500. Long Beach lies 
between Pass Christian and Gulfport. In fact, scat- 
tered cottages are along the beaches from Bay St. Louis 
to Ocean Springs. 

His name is Capt. J. T. Jones of Buffalo, New York. 
His family consists of himself, his wife and an unmar- 
ried daughter; and for years they have spent their 
winters here. He owns the traction company, which 
spreads out into an interurban connecting all the re- 
sorts. He owns the First National Bank, the electric 
light, the harbor facilities, and the Gulf and Ship 
Island Railroad running to Jackson, Mississippi, a dis- 
tance of 165 miles. Nearly all the important business 
blocks in the town belong to him. In fact, he owns the 
town. Now, if a man or any single interest owns all 
these things, if he does not own the town, why not ? He 
also owns the traction company from Buffalo to Niagara 
Falls. Yet they say he is not a bad fellow. Why should 
money make anyone bad? It does not. Actions make 
men bad, with or without money, so forget the money in 
your criticism of men and jump onto their conduct, with 
both feet, especially city councilmen, for most of them 
are bad because of the company they keep. When you 
go after them, make yourself heard. It works up their 
liver, if not yours. A sick man is next to being 
dead, but he lives, if a councilman. 

The mosfjuitoes! Millions of them all along here. 
The advance agents have arrived, making arrangements 
for the enormous army due to invade this territory 
the latter part of May and to remain about six months. 

46 



GULFPORT, MISSISSIPPI 

I am told that some, if well fed, get as large as 
canary birds. A street car conductor told me last 
season was the worst ever. The boys wore capes at- 
tached to their caps back of their necks and had their 
faces covered and their hands gloved. A man said 
they got so thick on his hand he could not see his 
own hand. They cannot be all females that bite, for 
they try to devour men, women, children, and beasts. 
This is the largest crop produced here and every season 
is a success. I keep on the move towards the aurora 
borealis. No swamps for me or water without a tide 
in Summer. 



47 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 



Biloxi, Mississippi 

WE ARRIVED at this place and were kindly 
taken in by Col. J. W. Apperson of the Riviera 
Hotel, a typical Southern gentleman from Mem- 
phis, Tennessee, 100 years old in experience, and 
in action 16 years old. It is nice to grow old, young, 
and he does it by trying to make every one feel just 
as he does; and he succeeds. 

This day is perfect — calm, still, quiet below, like 
a May day in the Middle West, with a clear sky and 
the birds singing their cheerful songs all around. It 
is Sabbath day, and why not? Even men and women 
under such circumstances or conditions drift into a 
thoughtful mood; and impulses arise in the breast 
creating a desire to do something good, to perform some 
act of kindness before the day dies; so they go to 
church. Every one went to church. There were no 
games, no amusements. All these were suspended just 
for a few hours, in contemplation of the many bless- 
ings all receive and few fail to appreciate. It is well 
to feel grateful once in awhile, for we thus grow 
gentler and kinder towards those who are worse off 
than ourselves. 

This is the nicest resort of them all. It is a clean, 
attractive place, purely residential, like all the others. 
There are about 6,500 people residing here, besides 
the Winter and Summer tourists. All these places 
were started as Summer resorts for the Southern people 
that they might escape the heat in the interior and 
get a cool breeze once in a while. The Northern and 
New England people have found them a congenial 

48 



BILOXI, MISSISSIPPI 



Winter section, and they come b}' the thousands. These 
places get warm in the Summer season, going up to 
104 or 105 degrees, and many days 90 to 100, but 
this is not as bad as the interior. Last Winter it 
dropped to 22 degrees above zero, the coldest it has 
been for a long period of time; but the temperature 
usually is as high as 70 degrees, thus making this place 
a delightful Winter resort for those desiring to escape 
snow and ice. The mosquitoes are a Summer product 
here also, and usually in large numbers. 

The residences are nicely kept, and have attractive 
lawns. This condition, together with clean business 
streets and good side-walks, makes it a delightful place 
to spend a few weeks. 

Oysters are caught by the ton; shrimps and fish 
are in abundance. Oj-sters are canned by good sized 
factories and are also shipped in bulk. Oyster beds 
are planted near here, and their cultivation is exten- 
sive. 

Oysters, like some people you and I know, are 
strange creatures. They flourish in salt water near 
fresh water and live on the bottom of the stream or 
body of water which they inhabit. While in water, 
the shell enclosing the oyster opens and closes like a 
hinged case. Thus it takes in its food. It never 
moves^ that is, it stands pat where it is put, like some 
men I have known. So the food must come to it sus- 
pended in the water, and thus it lives as nature in- 
tended. W^hen it spawns, the little miniature oyster, 
complete in all its parts, is thrown out to shift for 
itself, and floats away, and whatever it touches, it ad- 
heres to and gradually grows and expands into a large 
adult oyster. This takes about three years. At the start 

49 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

it may attach itself to a bottle, an old boot, a rock 
or the shell of another oyster. Thus you may find 
two or more oysters grown together. As high as six 
have thus been found grown together. They are very 
prolific. Men catch them by scraping the bottom of 
the stream with a net. They load them in boats and 
shovel them out like coal. They then break the shell 
with a hammer, for they are very strong, and the two 
halves of the shell are firmly clasped. Then a steel 
knife pries them apart and the oyster is removed and 
placed in a bucket of water. The men get $1 a bucket, 
which contains about 1,000 oysters; and, at this rate, 
they make from $3 to $4 a day for doing the work. 
While in the water, on the approach of danger or when 
taken out of the water, the shell is closed quickly by 
the oyster; and it is so strong that if you caught an 
oyster with its shell open, and your finger were caught 
in closing, it might be cut off. Thus the expression, 
''closed up like a clam." They are very sensitive and 
alert at self-preservation. 

The State is crushing oyster shells for building 
roads into the country districts. This State already 
has many miles of such roadway, and they are fine. 
The public highways are first well drained and these 
crushed shells are used for surfacing over sand as a 
foundation. The State is getting quite active with its 
public highways, even to the extent of issuing bonds to 
extend them to all parts of the State, by degrees. 

This town claims distinction in nothing except as 
one of the oldest towns in the State and as having 
at one time been the Summer residence of Mr. Howard, 
the president of the extinct Louisiana Lottery Com- 
pany. The citizens are also proud of the fact that 

50 



BILOXI, MlSSISSiPt^I 

President Wilson, when he was residing at Pass Chris- 
tian, slipped away from the crowd and drove here 
one Sunday and attended the little Presbyterian church 
"just around the corner." It is, however, located 
between two towns that claim some relics. 

On the west is the town of Mississippi City, which 
adjoins this town with Gulf port beyond. Jefferson 
Davis had his Summer home in this little town, and 
the little one-story dwelling with columns in front still 
stands. The State has built around it extensive im- 
provements for a home for the Confederate soldiers, 
and here numbers of the men who saw many battles as 
well as many hardships reside. It is an ideal spot 
for such an institution, and many were out enjoying 
the sunshine and the fine air that abounds here both 
from the pine woods and the water. They can even 
cross the road with line and rod and catch a fresh fish 
any time. 

Also, it was here that John L. Sullivan and John 
Kilrain went to the mat many years ago, to Kilrain's 
misfortune. Mr. Sullivan stopped at the hotel near 
by, and his standing in this locality is still first class, 
so if he could make a return visit, he would be well 
received. I mistrust his past record would be good for 
a night's lodging, at least, at this place. 

On the other side of Biloxi is Ocean Springs, a 
small village of about 1,500 people. It is very much 
like a country to^\ai, without side-walks and without 
excitement. One could not help being a Christian in 
this place. It is just the place to send your husband 
or wife, especially the former. He would not even be 
provoked to use profanity. He could walk up hill and 
then down and then half way up again, so he would 

5X 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

be neither up nor down; and then, he could go to 
the pine woods and see them extract turpentine from 
the trees, an innocent amusement and fine for restor- 
ing the nerves. I believe this town to be law abiding 
and God-fearing to an extraordinary degree. I do not 
believe the dogs will bark at night. But I saw some 
roosters, and ever since St. Peter's time they have 
been crowing at four o'clock a. m. by St. Thomas' 
timepiece, and never make a mistake. No doubt they 
will continue to do so. 

And here is where Tweed came when he made his 
escape from New York City. What more appropriate 
thing could a man charged with crime do ? Some crimi- 
nals not yet discovered are residing in quiet, respect- 
able places, retreats, so to speak, seeking health and 
seclusion from the curious and the populace in the 
public highways and byways on the outside. 

Tweed had two daughters living west of town. He 
built a home for the first one, who married a Mr. 
Maginnis. In this house they lived, and here he came 
to hide. The other daughter married a brother of the 
husband of her sister, who built a very large house. 
Both lived here for years, and you all know what 
became of Tweed. The girls afterwards died leaving 
no children. Their husbands subsequently married. 
They are now dead, also, but they left children by 
the second marriages. These children reside in New 
Orleans, and some' of the boys are in business there, 
and are prominent and wealthy. 

The houses are like hotels. They have many rooms 
filled with furniture, some of which, including a piano, 
must be a hundred years old. Serv^ants' quarters were 
built at the back. Thus the Tweed family passed out 

52 



BILOXI, Mississippi 

of existence, the avarice, love of power and ambition 
of the father causing a wreck of himself and all those 
near and dear to him. This is the decree or judgment 
that sooner or later overtakes all who violate the laws 
of God and man. The penalty must be paid and is paid 
in the end; and so it will be to the end of time. All 
is now for sale. 

Nearby is the spot where a little house stood, now 
owned by Mrs. Purington of Chicago, in which the 
first Confederate money was printed. An engraver 
from Philadelphia was brought in through the block- 
ade. He was fully equipped with tools and machinery 
to issue paper money by the bale. It was afterwards 
removed to Montgomery, Alabama. 

So you see how the wrongdoer seeks to hide under 
the cover or cloak of simplicity. Light and publicity 
not only drive away microbes, but evildoers; and the 
salvation of all American cities is more light. And 
what is good for cities is good for humanity. ''Let 
there be light, and there was light." 

Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama are very much 
the same. There are two kinds of lands in these States, 
upland and lowland. In the low places much of the 
land overflows, destroying the crops half of the time; 
yet the soil is very rich. The upland must be fer- 
tilized to raise any kind of crop, including cotton and 
cane. They claim the salt air from the sea destroys 
the life of the soils. Grass seems to have but little 
sustenance. The horses, mules, cows, sheep, and hogs 
are a sad lot, they are so poor. And the people in the 
country are the same in appearance. 



53 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 



Mohile, Alabama 

IMAGINE yourself in a city with 2,200 saloons or 
drinking places each paying $750 a year, and 
never closing — a city where the children are unpro- 
vided with school facilities and where the leading paper 
publicly confesses that compulsory education must not 
be enacted into law by the legislature, because it would 
require an expenditure on behalf of the State of the 
stupendous sum of over $5,000,000 to comply with such 
a law. Then imagine yourself suddenly transported 
into a city and a State that has compulsory education 
both for the whites and the blacks. Such was the con- 
trast I noticed in coming from New Orleans to Mobile. 
And this is not all. In Mobile a child is compelled 
to wear a button showing the number of days it has 
attended school for that year. No child under 16 years 
of age may work during the school period but must 
devote its time acquiring an education. This, in time, 
will make a great contrast in these two States in many 
ways, especially as to the material progress made by 
the masses, for one cannot but forge ahead of the other ; 
and such differences now exist and are noticeable. 

I found Mobile one of the cleanest and most attrac- 
tive places I have visited so far. The streets are fairly 
wide, clean, and well-paved with creosote, asphalt and 
brick. Some asphalt in the business section has been 
down nearly fifteen years and is in good condition 
to-day. Streets that are not paved are graded up 
and well drained, so that they are pleasing to the 
eye and comfortable to the traveller, except in ex- 
tremely bad weather. However, the city is extensively 

54 



MOBILE, ALABAMA 

paved in every direction, and each night the paved 
streets are flushed and thus kept in fine condition. 

Government Street has some beautiful homes, man- 
sions of the olden times, which have passed to the 
next generation; and to their credit let it be said, 
they are carefully repaired and looked after as if 
they were still in the hands of the parties who originally 
built them. They have not been permitted to go to 
ruin. The lawns are carefully attended to, also; and 
ornamental trees, shrubbery, vines and flowers abound 
everywhere. There are not merely a half-dozen or so 
such residences but scores of them. 

The families who originally built these homes were 
wealthy cotton and lumber people. They saw the Con- 
federate cause waning and with large quantities of 
Confederate monej^ on their hands converted it into 
this real estate and built these magnificent homes now 
owned and controlled by their children and grandchild 
dren, — a happy thought and a happy turn from mis- 
fortune to fortune. 

Mobile is a city of about 60,000, situated on Mobile 
Bay, which has a depth of thirty-one feet, giving it a 
fine harbor, connecting with the Gulf of Mexico. Its 
shipping interests are large, consisting, for the most 
part, of cotton and lumber. 

It was founded in the year 1702 by the French as 
a trading point. The people have permitted the trading- 
industry to lag, but a new interest is taking hold and 
the booster spirit is growing. This is so, however, all 
along the Southern coast. There is rivalry springing 
up now for New England and Northern tourists. Cities, 
counties, and states are expending large sums of money 
for good roads, running in every direction; and each 

5'5 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

city is beginning- to beautify itself so as to become at- 
tractive. 

Mobile has gone to the commission form of govern- 
ment, having three commissioners who are elected for 
two years and draw $5,000 each. They were elected 
five years ago, and the same ones are still rendering 
fine service. The people like the new form of govern- 
ment and they are pleased beyond measure with the 
commissioners because they devote all their time and 
ability to the city's interest and are making good. My 
good friend Myerly and Brother Hanna ought to visit 
this cit}^ and do better — be good. They have placed 
galvanized boxes at the street corners for waste paper 
and the like. The city owns its own water supply, the 
finest water in the world. It comes from springs and 
there is an abundance. This is the only thing it owns. 
The street railway, electric light and gas are controlled 
by private parties. Harmony exists everywhere, and 
all render fine service, especially the street car com- 
pany. Taxes are 1.55 cents for every $100. Rents are 
very reasonable. Business fronts rent for $100 to $150 
a month. Five and six-room residences, modern, from 
$15 to $25. Living is cheap. 

The whole South, however, is now suffering on ac- 
count of the war, as to cotton and lumber. Business 
has not been good for a year or two, but this will 
change in time. 

This State and Mississippi are just finding out that 
both can profitably raise all the citrus fruits. The 
satsuma orange, imported from Japan, grows here and 
will stand more cold than the California orange. The 
temperature last Winter went down to twenty-two with- 
out affecting it. This alone gives them the advantage 

56 



MOBILE, ALABAMA 

over California, for the expense of smudge pots is 
eliminated. They are two days nearer the New Eng- 
land- market. They are precisely in the same condition 
as California, for nothing grows in either place with- 
out fertilizing. On the other hand, California has to 
irrigate, and they do not here. The annual rainfall 
for both States is between fifty and sixty inches. 

They have just begun to plant large orchards all 
along the southern section, and when matured they 
will be strong competitors with California and Florida. 
The pecan industry is spreading very rapidly. So is 
the grapefruit industry. They grow peaches, plums, 
in fact everything that is produced in California; and, 
in addition, cotton and sugar cane, which gives them 
sugar and molasses. California, however, has beet 
sugar instead. They also compete with the Pacific Coast 
States for tourists who have money to invest. The}- 
are just getting a good start, and travel during the 
Winter months is going to increase to the South. 

The city has fine banks, two National and three 
State, with a combined deposit of about $15,000,000. 
The legal rate is 8 per cent and the banks pay 4 per 
cent for deposits on time. 

These two States are vevy similar as to soil and 
climate. About 30 per cent of the land was covered by 
yellow pine, spruce and other woods; and large lum- 
ber interests, as well as wealthy speculators, control 
enormous tracts of timber land, which condition handi- 
caps the development of both States materially. In- 
stead of farmers and horticulturists, they had logging 
men and common laborers. Now they are after prac- 
tical men to develop their land. 

They have also suffered much from the boll weevil 

57 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

and the tick. The boll weevil is a small insect that 
has wings when grown. It migrated from Mexico to 
Texas and is graduallj^ invading all the Cotton States. 
So far, no remedy has been found to destroy it, yet 
by intelligent planting and constant care and atten- 
tion during its growth the damage done to cotton has 
been materially reduced. The tick, also, came from 
Mexico. It is a small bug that attaches itself to cattle, 
burrows in the skin and stays there and sucks the blood 
from the animal, and in doing so gets as large as a 
gooseberry. Cattle so afflicted become poor and are 
fit for the graveyard. A remedy has been found to 
kill this. The States are trying to enforce a State law, 
leaving it optional with each county by vote to enforce 
it. Many counties have acted favorably. This law 
compels the owner to dip his cattle in a public vat 
filled with a chemical preparation once every two weeks. 
When this pest is eliminated the farmers will go exten- 
sively into the cattle business, thus freeing themselves 
from the cotton proposition. They can raise good corn 
here, and both go together. Hogs are successfully 
raised and also sheep, but the latter are permitted to 
run at large, and the owner catches and shears them 
when he needs a little money. 

They raise the Chinese peanut instead of corn to 
feed the hogs. The oats, they cut in the stalk for 
hay. They can raise all kinds of vegetables if they 
are so inclined, but they are forced to fertilize before 
anything will grow. This is because the ground is 
devoid of all humus, that is, decayed vegetable matter. 
This was destroyed in years gone by through fires 
started to burn the dead grasses, the leaves in the tim- 
ber and weeds, instead of plowing the same under to 

58 



MOBILE, ALABAMA 

enrich the soil and diversify their farming. All mis- 
takes are paid for sooner or later, and mistakes always 
cost some one money in the end. 

Fairhope is only seventeen miles from this city, and 
boats cross to and fro frequently. They haul both 
freight and passengers, and do a very good business. 

This colony is trying to put in actual practice Henry 
George's theory that land should stand the taxes. All 
those who have no land agree to this theory without 
argument, and some are at a loss to know why it has 
not been universally adopted. The world is full of 
theories, and new ones are being born every day, and 
that is how some people keep busy and, of course, out 
of mischief; otherwise they might break into the peni- 
tentiary. 

The association owns 5,000 acres of land. This land 
is leased to the members for any length of time at 
an agreed price, subject to county and state taxes. 
Whatever the member is compelled to pay the State, 
the association credits him that amount on his rent. 

Memberships cost $100, and are transferable. The 
individual gets all he produces; that is, he works for 
himself, but the association owns all public utilities 
and furnishes the service at the price agreed upon. At 
a town meeting, officials are chosen to manage the busi- 
ness for a certain period of time. About 800 people 
are gathered in this haven of rest, trying to convince 
the world that it is wrong and this association is right; 
yet the old wagon continues to run in the middle of 
the road, as it did at the beginning of time. 



59 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 



Montgomery, Alabama 

IT WAS with pleasant memories that we took our 
departure from Mobile to this city. It is a good 
old town with many points of interest; and not 
the least of these were the numerous handsome women all 
around. They were winsome, quite attractive both in 
figure and expression, and modestly, simply, and taste- 
fully gowned. I left because I thought it was best 
that I should go. 

The men looked well, too, and appeared keen and 
alert. They were well fed and well groomed and ap- 
parently satisfied with the way things were going. 

In fact, the town had every appearance of being 
fairly prosperous, for even the colored people had a 
self-satisfied air in their conduct and spirit. 

For forty miles after leaving, we did not stop, and 
not a station did we pass, for there was but little life 
manifested for miles on either side of the track. When 
we did stop at the trading village, we found it was 
poverty itself. Huts began to appear and as they 
become more numerous, they improved in looks; but 
the best of them gave little evidence of prosperity. 
Outside of lumber and through traffic, the railroad has 
no business of any consequence for over 150 miles. 

As we progressed further north, the appearance of 
the country began to improve and agriculture was in 
evidence to a greater or less extent; but from Mobile 
to Montgomery we did not see more than two white 
men in the fields — all were colored men following a 
horse hitched to a plow. We did see one white woman, 
with her hands to the plow, making the dirt fly. An 

60 



MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA 

Alabama young lady was in the seat with me and 
when I called her attention to the fact, she smiled and 
said, "She no doubt is a suffragette." Women who 
are crazy about the ballot can now see what their finish 
will be! Personally I did regret to see such a thing 
occurring in America. After the European war, no 
doubt such scenes will be quite common in many for- 
eign countries, but we are far from those conditions 
here, and may they always be far from us. 

Cattle, hogs, horses, sheep, and chickens were more 
frequent and their condition improved as we caaie 
north. They seemed to be getting regular meals for 
they had some fat noticeable and did not have that 
disconsolate look in their faces. 

The soil is all colors, but principally red. They 
also have sandy, red and clay, and other colors. In 
fact, you can notice, in places, ten or a dozen kinds of 
soil in a ten acre tract ; so 3^ou get a little of everything 
when you buy a piece of land here. 

We saw them preparing the ground for cotton and 
certain grains. Oats were up and in some fields the 
stock was grazing on them. Later the stock will be 
taken off and the oats will be permitted to mature into 
milk when it will be cut for hay. The farmers are 
building silos and giving some attention to stock raising 
in this section. Some corn is planted for feed for 
stock. They also raise the velvet bean, which is very 
rich in food qualities, for the same purpose. They 
are planting many fruit orchards. All are young trees, 
mainly oranges, pecans, pears, peaches, etc. This is 
some of the diversified farming agitated here, includ- 
ing truck gardening. But the great trouble is their 
lack of facilities for an economical distribution of their 

61 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

product. There are only a few nearby markets, and 
they are unfamiliar with distant markets. In fact, this 
is much of the trouble of many agricultural sections 
of the United States. A genius like John D. Rocke- 
feller may spring up some day and solve the intricate 
problem, the quick distribution and the elimination of 
the middle man in the handling of farm products. 
Here both the farmers and their farming are crude, 
and commission men at home and abroad have been 
simply robbing the producer in times gone by; so he 
finally drifted into the habit of raising only the things 
to live on, and no more of those than are necessary for 
his own use. His cotton, until the last two years, was 
available to raise the ready cash as his wants arose; 
and all he had to do was to haul a bale of cotton to 
the local merchant and either sell or borrow money on 
it. This was both convenient and satisfactory, and the 
farmer went home happy. The war and England have 
upset his old accustomed plans, and, being simple in 
habits and life, and often ignorant and uneducated in 
the ways of the world, he is lost and praying for 
deliverance, and he is demanding relief. This is why 
the Southern representatives in Congress are busy and 
making themselves heard. All these things, in turn, 
are readjusting the economic conditions of the South, 
and, if the distribution is intelligently handled, the 
future will improve their condition, through diversi- 
fied farming. 

The boll weevil does not damage to exceed 10 per 
cent of the cotton raised. This great cry of the boll 
weevil is largely started by the large planters to keep 
the Negroes from demanding too. much for their serv- 
ices, and also to lessen their demands for advancements 

62 



MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA 

from year to year. The planters are at the mercy of 
the colored laborer. By his labor alone cotton is planted, 
raised and harvested; and so long as he can be kept 
in certain channels of poverty by small wages and small 
advancements, his desire for food keeps him at home, 
just making his keep one year with another, always 
on the job, to the planter's delight and profit. Do not 
worry much over the boll weevil. It is much like wheat 
rust at the Chicago grain pit. They have their pur- 
pose and both do the work, or have done it up to date. 
There are games or tricks in all trades, and, strange 
as it may seem, some never grow old. The boll weevil 
is only about five years old. The Negro, ignorant and 
uneducated and without means, will never know the 
difference ; and if he is happy and contented, why make 
his life miserable by putting him into channels he 
will not understand and is incapable of living out? 

When we arrived in Montgomery, a beautiful little 
city of about 40,000 people, well situated in many re- 
spects, we found it possessed of good hotels, some 
good retail stores, and several wholesale houses. The 
town is a good business center. Many fine homes are 
noticeable; the lawns are well kept up, and the streets 
are clean and well paved with brick and asphalt. 
They are wide, too. The side-walks are concrete and in 
fine condition. Galvanized receptacles are on the cor- 
ners to receive refuse, such as waste paper and the like. 
This is one of the sure ways to keep the streets clean. 

And this city owns its own water plant, the water 
coming from springs, insuring good, clean water. The 
street railway and the gas and electric lighting plants 
are owned by private interests, and all three give good 
service. 

63 



THE SUNN^ SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

Montgomery is the capital of Alabama, and was, 
in days gone by, the capital of the Confederacy, when 
much excitement of life, both social and political, 
abounded here. On February 17, 1861, Jefferson Davis 
was standing on the balcony of the old Exchange Hotel. 
The streets were filled with excited people, and from 
this position Mr. Wm. L. Yancy introduced him to the 
excited throng as the ''president of the provisional 
government of the Southern Confederacy," and said, 
"This is the occasion where the man and the hour 
have met." The hotel where they stood was erected 
in 1846 and was the social and political headquarters 
at the capital for all Alabama. At the close of his 
address, Jefferson Davis retired and held his first cabi- 
net meeting in one of its rooms; and at that meeting 
the first order prepared by his cabinet in the Civil War 
was agreed upon and issued, to wit, "that Fort Sumter 
be captured at once." This was the beginning of that 
internal strife, lasting almost five years, destroying 
millions of dollars' worth of property and killing thou- 
sands of men and boys, of our blood and our people. 

The loss has not yet been regained. The South is 
just beginning to waken up in a business sense and to 
take advantage of opportunities and push out on pro- 
gressive lines. A few old men still cling to the reminis- 
cences of the Confederacy and at times become quite 
excited in discussing the happenings during that period. 
The young men, however, want to forget it, and are 
forgetting it. They want to go after Mexico. Call 
on them, and they will be there with gun in hand and 
ready to fight to the finish. The women, dear creatures, 
keep the past alive through their societies, and will 
not forget it until they die. The colored servant was 

64 



MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA 

everj^thing- to them, and the white gentlemen could 
be with them always, to entertain and amuse, without 
work and without cares. The war changed all from 
idleness to industry. 

The Jefferson Davis residence still stands, a two- 
story, large frame building, two blocks from the hotel. 
The old hotel was torn down and a new structure 
bearing the same name has been erected in its place. 
A bronze tablet done by the women and giving the 
history of the place is affixed to the building. 

Two blocks away is a three-story brick building 
where the executive offices were housed. 

Thus, this city was the center of activities that 
sounded round the world and meant much. Being 
frustrated, these activities left things, geographically, 
the same as the}^ were before, but politically, socially 
and economically, they revolutionized a great country, 
which being united, has gone forward by leaps and 
bounds, the wonder of all other countries. 



65 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 



Birmingham, Alahmna 

IN TRAVELING over Alabama and Mississippi the 
visitor cannot help noticing much of similarity, 
except around Vicksburg, Mississippi, where it is 
hilly. Alabama, on the other hand, is much more 
mountainous and more a mineral than an agricultural 
State, although the ''black belt" just south of the 
center and the extreme south is capable of great devel- 
opment in an agricultural way. 

However, this will never be done by the natives 
because the lands suitable for farming and truck gar- 
dening are also suitable for cotton raising. On an 
acre of land, they can raise all the way from a half 
to two bales of cotton, the amount depending on the 
quality and location of the land. A bale of cotton 
contains 500 pounds. Lately it has been selling for 
12 cents a pound. You can readily see that if they 
succeed in raising a good crop, it is more profitable 
than any other crop they can plant, except truck gar- 
dening. Now, truck gardening is all right if there is 
a nearby market ; otherwise the expense and risk of ship- 
ping a long distance would more likely be a loss than 
a profit. Therefore, in my judgment, they will continue 
to raise cotton and it will be their principal crop. 

There is another reason for the preference given 
to the raising of cotton. Merchants and bankers will 
either buy or loan money on bales of cotton when they 
will not do it on any other crop they can raise. This 
gives them the means to raise easily, and when wanted, 
the cash they desire; so cotton will be their main pro- 
duction in the future as it has been in the past. 

66 



BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA 



Negroes, not white men, produce the cotton. In 
Mississippi some colored men own and operate their 
own farms consisting of 1,500 to 2,000 acres. This is 
not the case in Alabama where they who own their 
own farms seldom have more than 200 acres. The 
white man is the big planter yet and he rents his land 
to a colored man for from $5 to $12 an acre. He fur- 
nishes him with machinery, mules, seed, fertilizer and 
so on. The tenant does all the work, hires all the help 
and stands all the expenses. He plants, raises, picks, 
brings to market or to the planter; and the planter 
keeps the books, lives in the city as a gentleman, edu- 
cates his children, attends church and prays devoutly 
to God. The Negro tenant does not understand book- 
keeping, which is largely in the mind of the planter, 
and is unable to read, much less figure or write ; hence, 
there are planters who have not settled with their ten- 
ants for years. The tenant is informed that he has 
failed and is in debt to the planter; and if he protests, 
he is threatened . with chastisement, goes back to the 
place and repeats the same thing year after year, never 
out of debt, and so poor that he lives and dies right 
where he is. However, the planter calls just before 
Christmas and tells him to buy anything he wants or 
needs for himself and family. This is prevalent all 
over the State. Now, one can understand what the 
policies and teachings of Booker T. Washington will 
accomplish by and by. Education will end this in time. 
Its success now is based on the poverty and ignor- 
ance of the colored man. 

The colored man is not paid in cash. He is paid 
in cotton. About two years ago a man from the North 
came down here and began to pay his colored men in 

67 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

cash. He was notified to stop, and he refused. So 
one niglit a committee called on him and took him out 
and whipped him severely, almost killing him. This 
was the penalty for changing the custom and creating 
unrest among the colored workers. The colored man 
paid in merchandise and not cash is like the oyster. 
Plant it in a certain place in the water and you can go 
back in one or two years afterwards and find the oyster 
in the same spot. It does not move from the ''oyster 
bed." A progressive might call it a stand-patter. 

There is a difference in the number of trading cen- 
ters. Mississippi has many small towns, and Alabama 
only a few large ones. Both have an abundance of 
fine pine lumber. 

When the Vermonter extracts his maple syrup, he 
saves the tree for next year and the year after. Not 
so here. When they attack a pine tree for the tur- 
pentine and rosin, they cut the bark off on two sides 
almost around, about two feet from the ground, so that 
they can put in the cups to collect and hold the fluid. 
Later the tree either blows over or dies, for frequently 
they cut deep into the wood. Lately, they do this even 
to 3^oung trees because the past year has seen quite an 
advance in the market price of turpentine; and they 
want the money now. Thus they ruin the growth of 
the young tree. 

Both Mississippi and Alabama work the State prison 
convicts on the public highways; and they have built 
miles of good roads and are building more. Alabama 
makes the men wear their stripes, and they seem odd 
in public with the black and white bars. Mississippi 
does not do this. In both cases they segregate the 
blacks from the whites. 

68 



BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA 

A few years ago, Alabama turned over, to some 
New York parties, all the waterpower in the State; 
and these New York men then organized the Alabama 
Power Company and have been for some time furnish- 
ing electricity for lighting and manufacturing pur- 
poses to different parts of the State. A short time 
ago the legislature, in addition, exempted this concern 
from taxation for ten years. The people are complain- 
ing some over the cost; but it is a strong organization 
and of course will naturally be forced to be in politics 
in order to protect itself; and charges of corruption 
will follow. Even now they charge that this company 
forced prohibition on the State to have something to 
attract the people while it got the law passed exempt- 
ing it from taxation. Wliether true or false, these sus- 
picions are natural and will be more frequent in the 
future. Even now^ Hobson is here campaigning for 
his own succession to Congress; one of his supporters 
is a candidate for national committeeman as a prohi- 
bitionist to force the issue in the next Democratic 
national convention; and Senator Underwood is taking 
a hand to prevent it. The State is full of candidates 
for city, county and state officers. Politicians are every- 
where, and 90 per cent of them should be shot. 
They simply advocate, and, sometimes get adopted, 
worthless laws that accomplish nothing further than 
an increase in taxation by creating commissions and a 
new list of public officials. 

I concluded one Saturday afternoon, between 3 and 
5 p. M., to visit the leading stores; and was surprised 
to find in many places no customers at all and the 
clerks standing at the front entrances looking for cus- 
tomers. I then knew business was still depressed and 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

would continue to be so until after the next Presi- 
dential campaign; and yet it was amusing to see the 
Chamber of Commerce demanding that the town's peo- 
ple supply all their wants by buying from the local 
merchants. Enlarge this to cover the United States, 
and you have protection in all its glory, yet they go 
and vote the opposite principle when they support the 
Democratic party. If that colored man did not loom 
up, they all would be for the Payne-Aldrich bill. It 
only illustrates that action and conduct are controlled 
more by prejudice than by logic or reason, even to 
one's serious loss. This becomes extensive even in 
municipal elections, hence bad city government some- 
times is due to the fact that the voter's animal nature 
overpowers the intellectual and moral natures. They 
are not strong enough and big enough to ignore trifles 
and cast the attention on the game — the object to be 
accomplished. Thus the wicked man prospers; and so 
it will always be. Here they will sacrifice everything 
to be in control of the colored man — even to war and 
extermination. The colored man is submissive and 
docile. He obeys orders. He does his work without 
complaint and has a place to live and enough to eat. 
That is about all most of us get in life; and why not 
be of good cheer and spirit? This is the attitude of 
the colored man here wherever you see him — wearing a 
smile and possibly singing a song. 

The climate is hot in the Summer, the thermometer 
registering from 90 to 100 degrees ; and in the Winter 
the temperature drops to the freezing point and some- 
times as low as 14 above. They are prepared here for 
such extremes, and suffer but little. 

All the newspapers are Democratic; in fact, I have 
70 



BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA 

not seen a Republican paper for months. You can 
practice different religions but not politics. Even 
Christian Science is here. They look on religious be- 
liefs as harmless and in no way affecting their ''honor 
or political rights," both of which they are always 
ready to defend. If you keep off these two subjects 
the people are charming. A glad hand and a smile 
greet you at every turn. "Come and see me again." 
"If I can be of any service, don't fail to let me 
know. ' ' 

This is a charming attitude. It makes one feel like 
living for to-morrow and then another day, and on to 
the end. This cordiality and graciousness make both 
better for having met. Time is not lost but turned 
into real capital, life and kindness one toward another. 

We left Montgomery by daylight, as it has not been 
our custom to travel at night. I never did like to pay 
out money and get its value in sound sleep when I 
want to know and see the country. The local people 
who get on and off trains often have a world of infor- 
mation for you as to the people and the country through 
which you are passing, if you have the courage and 
know how to go after it. The banks, business organ- 
izations and booster committees, nine chances out of 
ten, give you a lot of hot air. I want to talk with the 
carpenter, the farmer, the hodcarrier, the day laborer 
and the merchants who watch the front entrance for 
a customer. If you approach these men right, you 
get the truth, even in Portland, Oregon. 

After leaving Montgomery, we observed that land 
cultivation increased, some substantial farms being op- 
erated. The cattle, horses, sheep, hogs and poultry 
increased in numbers and all looked well, some of the 

71 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

cattle and hogs being fat. The farmer was more up 
to date; and the buildings and outhouses were larger, 
more numerous and in better condition. There was 
more truck gardening. The topography was about 
the same after leaving Mobile, — hilly with numerous 
points. However, much of the land was under culti- 
vation. Farming under such circumstances means work, 
and if not done intelligently, returns may be nothing. 
Such land is not like fine prairie land where things 
planted simply grow with a little scratching. 

As we neared Birmingham the soil seemed to get 
more red, the two predominating colors being red and 
yellow. The air was filled with smoke. We were just 
passing the iron industries, twenty miles from the city. 
It reminded me somewhat of Pittsburgh. Iron means 
wealth wherever it is located. You have heard of the 
stone age and the iron age, which latter has been such 
a godsend to mankind, and soon made man the ruling 
spirit of all created things on the face of the earth. 
Here are found not only iron ore in great abundance, 
but large quantities of coal, clay and limestone, located 
close together, under one roof, so to speak. These are 
making Birmingham. With the proper development 
of the agricultural or horticultural lines, this State will 
be strong among the sisterhood of States. 

On alighting, we found a very substantial city of 
about 150,000 people. The streets are wide, and well 
paved, but somewhat dirty and uncared for. Waste 
papers and the like were tossed in the streets, there 
being no receptacles on the street corners to receive 
the same. People will be clean sometimes if you help 
them or give them a chance. They have good hotels in 
plenty, and good office buildings, one being twenty-seven 

72 



BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA 

stories high. The stores are just average in appear- 
ance and size. 

The city is quite compact. It is located in a basin 
with hills surrounding it entirely. It contains nearly 
sixty square miles. Many fine homes have been erected, 
some being located a considerable distance out. Not 
so with business. There is one block regarded as the 
hub, where rents are high, a jeweler paying for a cor- 
ner room, sixty-five by fifty feet, $12,000 a year. Other 
business concerns hover around this block, at much 
less rental; but the great majority complain at the 
high rentals. There is no place for them to go, for the 
retail business section is very small. The street cars 
circle this block, and that is another cause for high 
rents. 

Business has been poor the past two years and some 
rents have been reduced fully 25 per cent. There are 
many vacant store rooms in different parts of the city. 
Some landlords are falling, and taking what they can 
get. All are hoping for better times. If any of them 
are asked what caused this business depression, the 
answer is the same from each, '^I do not know. The 
iron industries shut down for nearly a year." This is 
a fact. The iron industries shut down soon after the 
present administration assumed control; and in a few 
months, after unfilled orders were disposed of, the de- 
pression reached them here. 

The iron industries operate commissaries for their 
employes. They opened up late last fall, but the men 
were out of work for months and the industries sold 
them on credit. Therefore when they started up, the 
men were heavily in debt, and this debt had to be paid 
first; so there has been no surplus money for the 

73 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

Birmingham merchant, and there will be none until the 
men get out of debt. There are no other sources to bring 
money to the city. It has no other factories, just 
repair shops. The farmers, mostly colored people, are 
an uncertain quantity. The war injured the cotton 
industry. The Wilson tariff did the same for the lum- 
])er industry, and this is an important resource in this 
State and Mississippi. Hence, there is dreadful de- 
pression in all business lines. People have been leaving 
the city in caravans, both last j^ear and this. Where 
they went, no one knows; possibly each to his wife's 
people. The war has brought them no benefits what- 
ever, for the State does not raise enough farm products 
to feed its own people. The iron industries are con- 
trolled in the East; the money transactions occur there 
and end there. The weekly bank clearances have 
dropped from three and a quarter millions to about 
two millions, the deposits from thirty millions to a little 
over twenty-three millions. The city is all right and 
in time will ''come back." The business men are 
united and are working on right lines. They take a 
liopeful view and have confidence in the future. They 
are after practical farmers from the East and Middle 
West to come here and locate. They want the land 
occupied and developed. If the business men accom- 
plish this, and the iron industries are revived, the 
problem will be solved and Alabama will be strong. 

There are five banks in the city, two National and 
three State, with a combined capital and surplus of 
$3,500,000. There were six, but one failed, the Penny 
Savings Bank, a colored bank. It had a capital of 
$86,000, and deposits of $255,000, and failed for $452,- 
000. It was in operation twenty-five years. The direc- 

74 



BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA 

tors got excited about real estate and put the assets 
of the bank in red dirt; and the assets are still 
there. They are trying to organize a realty company 
to take over the real estate, issuing preferred and com- 
mon stocks to take up the two classes of claims against 
the bank. It bought and built a five-story bank build- 
ing valued at $137,000, together with other holdings. 
This was the last of the colored banks in Alabama. 
This is unfortunate because there are over 100,000 
colored people in this county alone, about one-half the 
population. They have their own hotels, boarding 
houses, meat shops, laundries, and stores of all kinds, 
including repair shops. Some white lines advertise 
that no commercial business is done with colored peo- 
ple; hence, colored people are driven to their own re- 
sources, and this indicates the feeling. 

The colored people are purely servants here, 
nothing more. The white people will not permit them 
to be anything more. In all these States a colored 
man is not permitted to hold an office of any kind. He 
is segregated from the whites in everj^thing. A row 
of seats in the street cars is set aside for him. He leaves 
and enters at the front of the car. The whites do 
the same but use the back end of the car. It is just 
opposite to this in Mobile. It is the same in all depots 
and railroad trains. When the Negro calls on a white 
man at his residence he must go to the back door. He 
would be knocked down if he should call at the front 
door. He is the white man's servant. He mines his 
coal, works in the iron mills, works the land, does 
all the common labor anywhere and everywhere, the 
carpenter work, brick masonry, and so on; and the 
white man does the bossing and managing. When he 

75 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

goes to vote, there is one box for the white man and 
one for the colored man; and white men are in charge 
of both. They need him for the iron industries, for 
they put out in steel yearly 800,000 tons, of iron 
2,000,000 tons, of coal 18,000,000 tons, of coke 3,500,000 
tons. This is real labor on a large scale, and only a 
poor white man in disgrace does this kind of work or 
any kind of work here. The colored farm hand is not 
the best. He wants to start on Tuesday morning and quit 
Friday night. He usuall}^ gets $1.50 a day, and can live 
on $2 a week. Why, then, should he work any more? 
I think he is justified in taking a rest. Yet he seems 
to be happy, having no cares either domestic or state. 
He lives and enjoys to-day, and takes no thought of 
to-morrow. Why should he, under the circumstances? 

The city is managed by a commission form of 
government, consisting of five commissioners. It 
started with three commissioners, afterwards increas- 
ing the number to five. One acts as mayor and draws 
a salary of $5,000 a year. By virtue of his office, he 
is chairman of the board of education, which is con- 
trolled by the city. The other commissioners draw 
$4,000 a year each. They are elected for three years. 
This plan has been only fairly successful; but it is 
regarded by the people as superior to the ward system. 

The bonded indebtedness of the city is $7,000,000; 
floating debt, none. The tax levy for the city is $1 
per $100 on 60 per cent valuation. But a business 
man is touched in many other ways for the privilege 
of doing business. Each year, he must procure from 
the city, county, and state, a license to do business. 
After he is rounded up on everything, he pays well. 

The fee system is worked to a finish by public 
76 



BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA 

officials also. The colored man is caught by this net. 
When he draws his wages, before wasting his wealth, 
he is arrested for some trivial thing, j&ned and turned 
loose to earn more wages. This treatment has had a 
tendency to make a criminal out of him. What else 
could you expect? Especially since to live and get 
work at all he is compelled to work for a less wage 
than a white man. The ''poor white trash" are in- 
creasing and the colored man is being forced to the 
country where he leases lands and farms them; and 
by economy and hard work many are making progress, 
even to the extent of buying and owning their land. 
In time, with education and toil and economy, he is 
going to come into his own; and must be considered in 
the affairs of State. Ownership of property cultivates 
dignity and character; and these, in turn, create the 
desire to protect and defend these rights. 

I have noticed only two business blocks being 
erected in the city, and not a dwelling. This is hard 
on the mechanics. However, the town is built five 
years ahead, and must catch up. 

About 600 real estate men stopped over on their 
waj^ to New Orleans for the national meeting. The 
whole South is trying to get in touch with the North 
and East to induce capital to invest in their lands; 
in other words, to repeat the work of Washington, 
Oregon, and California, almost in the same lines and 
under similar conditions. The result probably will be 
the same to the Eastern investor. 



77 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 



Nashville, Tennessee 

THE State penitentiaiy is located here in a sightly 
place at the edge of the city, a fine location for 
light and air. About 1,300 prisoners are confined 
there; approximately 40 per cent of them coming from 
the western or low grounds of the State and in and 
about Memphis. Belonging to the prison and situated 
close to it is a farm of about 3,400 acres. This farm 
is operated in connection with the prison. It also has 
the contract system; and hosier}'-, stoves, some small 
articles of hardware, waists, skirts, and the like are 
made within the walls. This is a small number of 
prisoners in a population of over 2,000,000 of people, 
nearly one-half being colored. The population, how- 
ever, is almost wholly native born. 

Nashville is just like a wash pan. Hills surround the 
city, and in the center is a high elevation of ground, all 
alone, upon which stands the State capitol, a two-story 
building, old and worn. Here you find, carefully en- 
cased, Confederate flags, some with twelve and some 
with fifteen stars on blue cross bars, together with other 
relics of the war. There are also pictures and paint- 
ings of the Confederate generals and statesmen who 
have filled prominent positions in the State, the Confed- 
eracy and Nation in times gone by. The building is 
poorly cared for, there being dust and dirt everywhere. 

At one corner of the grounds is built a mausoleum 
of granite, with a canopy overhead and a sarcophagus 
monument beneath, with inscriptions giving the life 
and history of James K. Polk, once President of the 
United States, as well as speaker of the House of 

78 



NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE 

Representatives. There are also inscriptions to his wife. 
Here lies the body of James K. Polk, and thus is he 
honored by the people of this State where he grew to 
manhood and lived. 

This was the home of President Jackson and twelve 
miles from this city was his residence, called the 
' ' Hermitage. ' ' The State bought the farm and the con- 
tents of the house; and the women organized the Her- 
mitage Society to which the State conveyed the old 
home and the lawn or ground immediately surround- 
ing it. These women, with care and devotion, are keep- 
ing everything as it once was, together with the trees; 
and the two rows of cedars planted b}^ Jackson him- 
self, on each side of the walk approaching the house, 
are still there. 

Of course, Jackson was quite a character, both in 
war and in peace ; and he cut some figure in matrimony. 
However, it is well to preserve and retain all things 
connected with a historical character, whether man or 
woman; for future generations are interested in such 
characters and such things and they have, no doubt 
in many instances, far-reaching influences on the human 
mind. 

The famous equestrian figure at New Orleans is 
here also. We all know Jackson there in the 1812 war, 
we know him in Florida ; we know him in Washington ; 
and we know him here with his duels. He was a fighter 
for the things he thought were right, whether it af- 
fected friend or foe; and such a fighter is usually 
honest, even if he is wrong. Such a character is slow 
to confess his wrong, when once discovered; and so 
it was with Jackson. Yet such men are respected and 
often admired by the masses. 

79 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

Here old soldiers, wearing the gray, meet to cele- 
brate this battle and that battle. The civil population 
joins and business men subscribe thousands of dollars 
to defray the expenses. Shiloh is thus celebrated every 
year. Now Uncle Richard Clarkson, if alive, would 
have that famous editorial of his on the other side 
equally sincere and equally happy, but from the op- 
posite viewpoint. With the passing of time, this dif- 
ference will continue to fade away slowly, until some 
new war of large import crowds it off, as 1861 crowded 
off 1776, with the assistance of the death of those inter- 
ested. 

The women have many different organizations, and 
they seem to keep all historical subjects alive. They 
may be opposed here to war, but they are patriotic. 
In the courthouse grounds they have erected a fine 
monument to the soldiers of 1776, with a life-sized 
statue of George Washington thereon. The spirit is 
fine, and, in a sense, to be admired. After all, there 
would be no fighting if it were not for women; and as 
men will fight for them, why should they not show 
their appreciation for the brave lads who have fallen in 
the line of battle? 

The colored race is an interesting and intricate 
problem. Within a few miles of this city one-half 
of the colored race resided before the war and so reside 
now. Had they arisen against their masters, the war 
would have been ended in six weeks. Why did they 
not do it? They were as humble and helpless as babes 
then, and are only a little better now. Something is 
lacking in their nature, I mean the pure Negro, not 
the half breed. They are kind, affectionate, obedient 
and docile. They are happy and cheerful, at times 

80 



NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE 

under the most adverse circumstances. Give them a 
place to sleep, and something to eat and wear, and they 
want to sing and go to heaven, taking no thought of 
to-morrow. It is true that some have bought homes and 
are saving, but such are few among the pure blood. 
They are loyal to their masters and their employers. 
They do not strike. They are slow, but near the job, 
even if the pay is small. They resent having a colored 
man for a boss, but they will work under a white boss 
and be contented. With this disposition and these 
characteristics, the Negro has disposed of the white 
man's strikes in the South. They do not occur. The 
colored man is entering all kinds of industries and 
enterprises, both as to skilled and common labor. He 
is on engines, is making shoes, is working in repair' 
shops, is engaged in manufacturing plants. In fact, 
you see him slipping in all along the line, and the 
white man is being supplanted because he will not work 
except for big wages, will not do the dirty and hard 
work at all, and strikes on the trigger. Again, it will 
be the survival of the fittest in the end. 

And so with the colored women. They are making 
fine seamstresses, and most excellent nurses; and one 
railroad man remarked to me, ''we simply love their 
cooking." The Southern people are so inconsistent. 
What "my nigger" does is all right, and any objection 
would cause trouble on the spot. Colored people are 
segregated on the cars and everywhere, yet in the home 
the children love to get in bed with the colored 
''manmiy," and girls in their teens do the same out 
of affection for her who nursed them from babyhood. 
She has absolute charge of the children of her master 
in his home. If they want to do something and she 

81 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

says no, that ends it. She goes to the woods and 
gathers herbs, and puts them in alcohol and the like 
to pilot the children from Winter unto Spring; and no 
doctor can undermine "mammy's" influence with the 
household. If the doctor is not handy, she acts as 
midwife. When she enters a car with the lady of the 
house, she sits down by her in the white section, other- 
wise she is relegated to the ' ' Jim Crow ' ' section. Hotels 
take her with her mistress and no questions are asked. 
If she enters a white section with a white child in 
her arms, she is welcomed, for the white child must 
not be taken to the "Jim Crow" department. There 
are many other things like these, amusing and some- 
what ridiculous. What is it? Aristocracy. Custom. 
Conceal the black and show the white, and you pass. 
The beauty of human character, like the rose, is exposed 
in actions, conduct and thoughts. You see and feel 
and touch and yield to its beneficent influences, or are 
repelled, whether old or young, black or white; and 
so it will be to the end of time. 

This State is divided into three parts, — the eastern, 
the middle and the western. In the eastern part, iron, 
coal, marble, clay and other minerals abound, and there 
is timber in variety and abundance. But little farming 
land exists there. In the middle part, called the Cum- 
berland table, farming lands are extensive and produc- 
tive. The western section is low in many parts, and 
somewhat unhealthy— considerable malaria existing at 
times. Memphis is the largest city in the western sec- 
tion and Chattanooga in the eastern. Knoxville and 
this city control the business of the middle part. Last 
year's cotton crop did not exceed 300,000 bales, the 
farmers having gone into stock raising and exten- 

82 



NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE 

sive raising of the cereals, corn, tobacco, fruits and 
vegetables. The fertility of the lands surrounding 
Nashville makes it one of the coming cities of the 
South. I noticed new buildings of every kind being 
started every day in every direction of the city. It 
is an open town, that is, every man or woman who 
applies for work can get a job if there is work to do. 
One-fourth of the population of every community 
gets its bread and butter by daily toil. Not to exceed 
4 or 5 per cent of all toilers belong to some union. The 
balance, 20 per cent, either from choice or because they 
are refused admission to unions, are denied the oppor- 
tunity to earn a living. This pressure, which denies 
men the right to live, to do honest toil to support 
themselves and little ones, creates two conditions, 
socialism and strikes. Unions are the generators, the 
creators of them both. Both undermine or retard the 
advancement to the highest social conditions. Both tend 
to destroy, to reduce the masses to a lower state of civ- 
ilization, and to a condition of dependence rather than 
independence. Wherever there is independence among 
the working people the greatest progress and highest 
state of civilization are found. Unions have increased 
poverty and want and distress wherever and whenever 
they are firmly established. It is better to have the 
masses at work, even on a small wage, than to have a 
few at work on a high wage, and the masses idle beg- 
ging for alms. The greater the idleness the greater 
the crime in any community. Light, industry, economy, 
and employment make a happy people and happy 
homes; and these are the armor of a nation. The con- 
dition which favors millionaires and pays high wages 
to a few of the fortunates, thus enabling them to live 

83 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

in style and possible extravagance, while the masses 
are denied the right to earn a living, is not prosperity 
or Christian civilization. It is selfish barbarism, lead- 
ing to strikes, lockouts, crime and chaos, and injuring 
good government. 

Nashville in its open door shows that work and in- 
dustrial and business enterprises go hand in hand, unre- 
stricted by unnatural and cruel combinations against 
the laws of God and man and the natural laws of sup- 
ply and demand. It is growing and enlarging, — becom- 
ing, in a natural, conservative w^ay a greater and more 
important city, thus being the better able to provide, 
and care for its citizens. It has no tourists or unnat- 
ural influx of population. It is growing simply as a 
business center in wholesaling, jobbing, retailing and 
manufacturing, and is a credit to the energy, foresight 
and wisdom of its citizens. 

It has the commission form of government, consist- 
ing of a mayor and four commissioners. They are 
chosen by popular vote for four years. The mayor 
receives $6,000 and the commissioners $5,000 a year. 

This form of government has not been a success, 
the salaries being too big for the men who win. It has 
been rotten with politics, the curse hanging over most 
of our American cities. One mayor has been recalled 
and another elected. One commissioner is under indict- 
ment for embezzlement, the amount stated being 
$40,000. They charge that he deliberately took the 
cash and spent it in campaigns. The books have been 
lost. However, the citizens are alert; they have organ- 
ized a committee and raised a fund and are on the 
job. This is what counts. This activity of the public 
is worth all it costs and in the end things will be made 

84 



NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE 

right, not only here, but in substantially all American 
cities. The commission form of government does just 
this thing and finally will evolve a superior municipal 
government for our American cities. 

At Birmingham and Mobile and here in Nashville, 
and wherever the commission form has been adopted, 
the "redlight district" and the open gambling house 
have been eliminated. 

The banking interest is strong, there being five 
National and nine State banks carrying a deposit of 
$33,000,000. Many of the people have no use for the 
present Federal Reserve banks, and think they ought 
to be reduced to three, thus lowering expenses. They 
pay 3 to 4 per cent for deposits and cannot loan beyond 
6 per cent. For the first time for nearly a year, they 
have been compelled to go out and hunt up investments. 
They charge this up to the administration, and some 
say they will not vote for Mr. Wilson again. Traveling 
men covering Texas, Georgia and the Southern States 
say they hear Democrats so express themselves fre- 
quently. The}^ want "McKinley prosperity" returned. 
Yet there is only one Republican daily paper published 
in the State. 

There are eight National cemeteries in this State, 
the largest being here. I went out to see it. It con- 
tains sixty-five acres and 16,770 soldiers lie buried 
there. They are placed about five feet apart, in rows 
from the main entrance, each grave being numbered, 
and having a small marble slab at the head, with the 
name and State if known, and, if not, marked "un- 
known." The grounds are beautiful and well kept. 
There are cedars, Tennessee maples, white pine, Japon- 
ica, rose bushes and shrubbery, all nicely arranged; the 

85 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

only thing to mar it at all being the Louisville & Nash- 
ville Railroad, which runs diagonally through the 
grounds. It has elevated its track eight and one-half 
feet the past year, which obscures the view very much, 
and has a station at its entrance to the ground. Two 
kindly gentlemen are in charge, Supt. L. S. Doolittle 
of Pennsylvania, and his assistant, J. W. Hartley of 
Kansas. They are approaching 80, but they are two 
lively boys, — as 3^oung as Col. David J. Palmer of 
Washington, Iowa. They took me over the grounds 
and finally we came to a grave marked ''2619, James 
F. Johnston, Iowa." This is the grave of my brother 
Frank, who joined the Union army at Keokuk, at the 
age of 18. One of the objects of my trip to this city 
was to visit the grave of my deceased brother, who 
in his youthful, patriotic enthusiasm contributed his 
life towards m.aintaining the Union and the Stars and 
Stripes. He was a good boy and a dutiful son; and 
his death was a distinct loss to my father and his 
family. At this late day it was my duty to show my 
love and respect for his memory. The cause, the his- 
tory, the conflict, the result, made the surroundings 
impressive and, in a sense, sad ; for it might have been 
otherwise. This State was the scene of many battles, 
and many soldiers from this State are buried here: 
for the State was divided. The South had 5,000,000 
citizens to draw from to make up its armies. The 
North had 20,000,000, yet the contest was long and 
trying and at times uncertain. A large number of the 
soldiers in both armies were just in their teens, beard- 
less youths. It was thus in 1776, in 1812 and in 1861. 
How much we have inherited from the sacrifices in 
blood and treasure of our ancestry! Shall we continue 

86 



NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE 

to guard and protect for our descendants our inheri- 
tances of the past? This is the question which is ever 
before us, and if we desire to continue as a Nation, 
prosperous, happy and free, there is only one answer. 
We must be ever ready to act and to do. 

This is a center of education, but of all the insti- 
tutions here, none impressed me so much as Fisk Uni- 
versity. It was organized in 1868, by a few enthusiasts 
with more religion than cash. Its plan was to give a 
higher education to colored men and women that they 
might become leaders and instructors of their own 
people. 

At first it was promoted by the Congregationalists, 
but now it is covering a broader field to uplift the col- 
ored race, and is not attached to any particular denom- 
ination. The religious people agitated and aroused the 
people to free the Negro; and he was freed, turned 
loose, so to speak, with no money, no education, and 
no occupation or avocation whereby he could make his 
living. He was turned over to the tender mercies of 
the South, ignored and forgotten in the North, except 
by a few philanthropists and a few kind people who 
had the courage to go to the colored people and work 
for their intellectual and moral uplift. 

The early struggles of this university are pathetic. 
When it was on the eve of collapse, Mr. White, a musi- 
cal teacher in the institution, organized the jubilee 
singers to sing Negro melodies in the North. He started 
out boldly, and the first $50 earned in Ohio they gave 
to fire sufferers in Chicago in 1871. After many hard- 
ships, they arrived in New York and appealed to that 
great divine, Henry Ward Beecher. He aroused public 
interest in them; and the response was not only here 

87 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

but in continental Europe, where they appeared be- 
fore kings and queens, and ate with them, even Glad- 
stone having them dine with him three times. In striking 
contrast to this were the hardships experienced in this 
country, where they were compelled to sit in depots, 
hotels refusing them because the "black" was on the 
outside instead of the inside. Send for the story of 
the trials of the jubilee singers. They made $150,000, 
and gave it to the university for the benefit of their 
race. The university wants more money. It has about 
700 students and is "casting bread upon the waters," 
which is bound to return in good. 

The Vanderbilt University is another institution 
here, but for white students only. It was started by 
Commodore Vanderbilt, who gave it $1,000,000. Other 
members of the family have contributed. Carnegie 
gave $1,000,000. It wants another $1,000,000 from 
somewhere. It has a campus of seventy-six acres. 
The campus of Pisk University is thirty-five acres. 
This institution was started in 1873, by Northern people, 
to show good will towards the South and restore a 
friendly feeling. Both have done and are doing much 
good. Both are small, and small gifts are appreciated, 
especially by Fisk. The struggles in this world are 
many and varied and will never end. This is life. 



88 



MAMMOTH CAVE, KENTUCKY 



Mammoth Cave, Kentucky 

WE ARRIVED at Glasgow Junction, where we 
alighted to take the train for Mammoth Cave, 
nine miles away. The train consists of an old 
engine and one coach, the latter almost as old as the 
object of our visit. They insist on the purchase of 
a round trip ticket for $2. The management does not 
want to lose the visitor, either — in the cave, or to the 
Ford. The latter will bring you back for 75 cents. Of 
course, being a stranger the tourist obeys the rules. I 
should judge that the construction and maintenance of 
the road is the lowest of any road in the United States, 
and the returns, in proportion, the greatest. There 
is no railroad commission here for political effect, 
exploiting it purely for political preferment. It is 
too small — not big enough game, and is touching up 
the other fellow. 

We arrived at the Cave Hotel, a structure built 
over 100 years ago, and it does not belie its looks. 
However, I had a good bed and good meals, and the 
air was simply fine, filled with the odor of pine and the 
woods in general. The topography of the ground is 
not rough, just right for fine golf links. 

It consists of a tract of ground of about 2,700 acres, 
thinly covered with trees. Its real value is beneath 
the surface, a fortune in a hole, leading to one of the 
greatest wonders in the world. 

When I was a little lad, our mother being dead, 
our father assumed the dual capacity of father and 
mother, and the responsibility of guiding to maturity 
six little tots, the oldest being in its teens. We had to 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

be amused and entertained with games, frolics and 
stories ; and this he did at night when his day 's work 
was over. He became one of us, and was fully alive 
to what interested us. He did this until we grew to 
manhood and womanhood. Then each took wings and 
flew out into the world like a bird, to work out his 
own salvation, as God intended all children to do. My 
father remained with a married sister until old age, 
and then quietly and peacefully passed away. And 
so it has been in many homes. 

Among his many stories was that of the Mammoth 
Cave of Kentucky, which I was determined from early 
childhood to visit sometime. So I am here. The sky is 
clear ; the trees are majestic ; the air is calm and serene ; 
the surface of the earth is green with life in all the 
varied forms of vegetation. We are in the woods, 
''God's first temples." 

We donned blue trousers and blouse, with cap, cane 
and lantern. The women put on ''knee pants" and 
they looked quite jaunty and nice. From the stand- 
point of simplicity, convenience and cheapness, this 
would not be an inappropriate uniform to wear always. 
Wars may make us all so poor that such garments 
will have to be adopted. 

We started for the cave, a large hole in the ground, 
about two blocks from the hotel, with stone steps lead- 
ing in a gradual descent below. The entrance is about 
twenty by thirty feet, with water dripping down at 
the edge from above. We proceeded a short distance 
and then stopped to light our lamps, for we were just 
approaching eternal darkness while it was midday with- 
out. The ceiling was still high, but the opening grad- 
ually became smaller as we continued our journey, and 

90 



MAMMOTH CAVE, KENTUCKY 

finally we came to the entrance proper closed by an 
iron gate. Our guide, Mr. Bishop, a kindly old gen- 
tleman, who has been performing this work for twenty- 
eight years and in whom we all had confidence, un- 
locked it and we entered the underground world, which 
was the dream of mj^ childhood. It is interest- 
ing, impressive and awe inspiring, with no rival in 
magnitude and grandeur on the face of the earth. 
It is a subterranean world of caverns, seas, rivers, 
huge rocks, grand passage ways, and auditoriums 
with ceilings a hundred feet high. Here one can 
very properly stop again and again, and very seri- 
ously exclaim, ''Oh, why should the spirit of mortal 
be proud!" 

This cave was discovered by white men in the year 
1802, but evidence found indicated that it was visited 
by Indians and other races prior thereto. From the 
surface down, for hundreds of feet and for miles around, 
the earth is composed of soft limestone and gypsum. 
In four or five counties surrounding this locality there 
are hundreds of caves, some extending for miles under- 
ground; but none is so large in extent as the Mammoth 
Cave. This cave has been explored for 152 miles, and 
all its passages have not yet been located. The visitors, 
as a rule, are not shown to exceed twenty or thirty 
miles, because they become tired and exhausted. About 
15,000 people come here during the year. The tem- 
perature is 54 degrees, and as it is always night you 
can visit it any time, night or day. 

The management now makes the trip in four divi- 
sions, none of wTiich exhausts the strength of the visi- 
tor. They are as follows: 

]. Echo River, pits and domes, time six hours. 

91 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 



2. Star Chamber, Gothic Avenue, etc., time four 
hours. 

3. Main cave and new discoveries, time six hours. 

4. Echo River, Cleveland Cabinet, Cathedral Dome, 
time eight to ten hours. 

The passage ways have been named, together with 
particular points of interest, thus, in some instances, 
adding to the journey's illusions, increasing the visitor's 
curiosity and making him forget that he has traveled 
five or six miles, boat riding on rivers, climbing over 
stones, over bridges, up ladders, down steps, and through 
narrow passages, "the fat man's misery," and the like. 
Walter, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Mercer of Chicago, 
did enjoy seeing me trying to get through this place. 
It was about twelve to fifteen inches wide. Of course, 
there is a good deal of elasticity in some people, but 
I have known men and some women who could not 
have gone through. At another place, for about 300 
feet, the roof was not quite four feet high. My legs 
were one foot too long, and before I got through I 
thought it was a mile. Another place is called the 
''Corkscrew." It is well named, and is a climb up 
around a rocky, winding ladder, narrow and trying. In 
the chambers, you see beautiful formations of stalactitic 
and stalagmitic columns, with domes and pits and cross- 
caverns that excite your wonder at every turn. Now, 
what of its history ? For more than twenty miles around, 
there is not a creek or ravine. The Green River that 
empties into the Ohio River is all. It is narrow and 
very deep, and used for navigation. 

There are two rivers in the Mammoth Cave, the Echo 
and the Styx. In the rainy season, they rise thirty to 
forty feet and flood some of the caverns. The water 



92 



MAMMOTH CAVE, KENTUCKY 

finds its way out from both to the Green River. One 
can ride in a boat on Echo River for half a mile, and 
the vibrations of musical sounds are beautiful. 

This cave was formed by water, in large quantities, 
falling on the surface above and percolating through 
the soft limestone, dissolving it and washing the small 
particles thus removed along its journey. Hundreds 
of thousands of 3^ears ago this water found its way out 
at the present entrance of the cave. The volume of 
water was small at first, but grew into a torrent, wash- 
ing tons upon tons of the dissolved limestone to the 
Green River below. In time this channel became blocked 
and new channels were formed, one below the other, 
so that now it is known that five caverns exist in the 
Mammoth Cave, one below the other. We were in the 
third one, now 360 feet below the surface. The water, 
working itself to a lower level through soft spots, formed 
the domes passing from one cavern to another below. 
Channels or caverns crossed each other, and, through 
the domes formed, dropped to a lower channel. The 
water dripping and percolating through the limestone 
and gypsum, formed stalactites; and these, in turn, 
formed the stalagmites below. Wlien these became 
united the result was the beautiful columns, the crystal 
effect. Water, working for ages in great volumes cut- 
ting its way through stone, possibly for millions of years, 
made the Mammoth Cave and all the other caves here- 
abouts. 

The United States Government should take this over 
and preserve it for all time for the benefit of mankind. 
In 1849, Dr. George Croughan tied it up in trust by his 
will, for the benefit of eleven nephews and nieces, all 
of whom have died except three nieces, the youngest 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

being now 79 years old. At their death, it is to be sold 
at public auction, the proceeds to be divided among the 
descendants, of whom there are eleven to-day. 

The will was filed in Louisville, Kentucky, and the 
courts there have charge of the estate, which is being 
managed by trustees. The income runs from $20,000 
to $30,000 a year, a fortune from a cave. 



94 



LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY 



Louisville, Kentucky 

AFTER satisfying- our curiosity inspecting Mam- 
moth Cave, we started for this city, a distance of 
ninety miles, through a country very similar to 
that which we had already traversed. 

We found it very attractive, both as a residential 
and a commercial city. The streets and side-walks were 
narrow, but clean and in good condition. Here there 
are many homes, mostly of brick and three stories high, 
some of them very old, but in good condition ; and they 
spoke comfort and ease for their owners of days gone 
by. You must bear in mind that this city was founded 
in 1780, just 136 years ago. George Washington be- 
came president in February, 1789 ; and in September, 
1779, John Paul Jones and "his navy" fired on the 
British navy on the shores of Great Britain, defeated 
Admiral Pearson, and took the British navy as a prize 
to Holland. England protested and he then asked 
France to keep his prizes, while he sailed away for more 
game. The British people stood on the shores and saw 
the fight. After that John Bull commenced to build a 
navy in fact and not in words. 

So you see this town has seen some history. It 
has a population of about 250,000 people. Th.ey are 
happy, comfortable, and in a measure contented, hence 
conservative. It has some fine stores, but not much man- 
ufacturing. Its wholesaling, jobbing, and commission 
business is large. The two greatest products handled here 
are whisky and tobacco. It is the largest tobacco State 
in the Union, this business alone amounting to about 
$40,000,000 a year. The whisky trade is not slow— 

95 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

35,000,000 gallons per year. One county has twenty- 
eight distilleries. The jobbing houses in whisky are 
many and of all sizes. One large house got up a cartoon 
on its special brand. It consisted of a large, happy, 
healthy man standing by a quart bottle made a man's 
size. The man good naturedly looked at the bottle, 
patted it kindly on the side and said, ''John, we have 
been bosom friends for these eighty-odd years." And 
no doubt this is true. Of course they had to raise corn, 
wheat and other grains to maintain the reputation of 
the State. The surplus they feed to horses, cattle, hogs, 
and sheep; and they have a lot of them in the State. 
The Kentucky race track was once famous as its quart 
bottle ''John." It has but little use for cotton, so 
raises but little. It diversifies its crops, and its land is 
in fairly good condition. The Kentucky blue grass needs 
no introduction. 

The eastern part is hilly and rough, and abounds in 
iron, coal, and many other minerals, the same as Ten- 
nessee. In fact, these two States are very similar in 
every way, including their social and political life. 
They are half "South" and half "North," the same 
to-day as they were during the Civil War. The Repub- 
licans largely predominate in the eastern part of both 
States, but the Democrats balance them up in the mid- 
dle and western sections. Some years, both are close 
fighting ground, notwithstanding the fact that Demo- 
crats control nearly all the newspapers. These States 
split in the Civil War. The governor of Kentucky took 
the position that his State must not be invaded either 
by the North or the South, that his people were going 
to be neutral, and that the sovereign rights of his State 
must be respected. Davis consented to this. Lincoln 

96 



LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY 

was not committed, for he said nothing. Both Ken- 
tuck}^ and Tennessee entertained similar ideas. The 
man who is entitled to most of the credit for this com- 
plication, which seriousl}' weakened the Confederacy, was 
none other than Editor Prentice of Louisville, Kentucky. 
He was the Horace Greeley of the South. He was intel- 
lectually strong and a diplomat; and his heart was set 
against breaking up tlie Union. The value of his serv- 
ices can never be properly estimated. The citizens 
have erected a monument to his honor in front of the 
city library, with this word only: "Prentice." This is 
sufficient. Each day and each week his inner life was 
placed in cold type before the readers of his paper, so 
when we think of this city we think of two newspaper- 
men, Prentice and Watterson. The latter is now near- 
ing 80 years of age. 

A cit}^ has two circles, a business circle and an intel- 
lectual circle. The influence of the former is often 
small, while there may be no limit to the other. 

This is best illustrated by Athens, Greece. The 
business men of its early history are unknown. A half 
dozen men, known only by their intellects, sent the town 
of Athens, with less than 50,000 inhabitants, down 
through all future ages. It will never be forgotten or 
omitted so long as history is written. Hence, such indi- 
viduals are an asset, differing only in degree, to every 
city; and should be appreciated and honored while they 
live, and not after they are dead. 

Louisville owns its water works and it has good, 
pure water in abundance from the Ohio River. The 
other public franchise corporations are privately owned 
and well managed, and there is no friction. The school 
buildings are ample and in good condition. The city 

97 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

tax rate is one dollar and fifty cents per hundred. It 
is so limited by the constitution. The school levy is now 
thirty-six mills above this. It has no floating indebted- 
ness, living within its income. The bonded debt is 
$12,500,000, about equal to the water plant. The general 
council can not appropriate more than 95 per cent of 
the estimated revenue until more than that amount is 
collected. It has natural gas at 35 cents and steam coal 
at $1.25. The city uses the budget system to distribute 
its revenues, and the people have confidence in the city 
administration. 

Its financial institutions are strong, and managed on 
conservative lines. There are seven National banks and 
eleven State banks and trust companies. These eighteen 
banking institutions now have on deposit $57,000,000. 
The demand for money is poor and has been for over 
a year. The improvement is slight and profits will 
be smaller than usual. 

This is an open city like the other Southern cities. 
The past year has been hard on labor, for work in all 
lines has been scarce. It has been estimated that from 
15,000 to 20,000 men have been idle. Stores, business 
houses and factories have retained all their emplo^'-es, in 
most cases, by working them half time. This enables 
all to live, and does not pay higli wages to a few while 
the balance have to beg or starve. This is the sensible. 
Christian spirit for all business concerns to cultivate 
and for all cities to establisli and maintain during hard 
times. No one prospers during hard times, be he rich or 
poor. Prosperity comes when the masses are employed 
and have money to spend. If we keep the masses em- 
ployed we will have no hard times. We have two 
schools in this country preaching directly opposite prin- 

98 



LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY 

ciples as a remedy to avoid hard times. To which one 
do you belong? I know where I stand. I want the 
American laborer to come first. I patronize home in- 
dustries for all m}^ wants, and those nearest home first. 
Now, you can call it what 3^ou please. 

The business men here are organizing a million-dollar 
concern to get factories to locate in this city. This is 
a foolish performance. They are trying to induce a 
factory in another town to locate here and then they 
will roll up a big majority in favor of goods coming in 
free from foreign countries to compete with them. This 
city has about 1,000 factories, mostly small, making a 
large variety of goods sold in the markets. Would it 
not be more sensible to make a thorough, efficient inves- 
tigation of all these local concerns and classify them, 
and then put more capital into those which are worthy, 
thus enlarging them, making the management more 
efficient, and increasing their territory and the volume 
of their business ? Build up your own city by enlarging 
and making more efficient the good things you already 
l^ossess, rather than to injure or tear down what a 
neighboring cit}^ needs and has built up. Prosperity 
comes to all when all are prosperous. You cannot be 
prosperous by attacking another city or another inter- 
est, and the larger the interest or the industry, the 
greater your damage will be. Labor and capital are 
friends, each depending on the other, but labor has to 
be fed, housed and clothed, while capital does not. It 
can retire and rock itself to sleep. Every man who at- 
tacks capital or denies it just and reasonable returns 
for the risk and hazard involved in the investment, is 
an enemy, a menace to labor and to those depending 
on labor for food, clothing and life. A politician who 

99 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

makes the attack to create prejudice and thus enable 
him to land a public office is worse than a bandit or 
highwayman. To point out wrongs and injustices with 
candor and honesty is one thing, and to destroy that 
which enables the masses to labor and live is another. 
Cities must have factories; they must protect capital; 
the masses must be employed to protect the very life 
and existence of city government. 

Walking along the wholesale section one day, I 
stopped in front of a whisky jobbing establishment. 
There was a sign in the window which attracted my 
attention. It was a good picture of Uncle Sam with 
his right hand extended with the index finger pointing 
to a scroll ; and within the scroll were these words, ' ' The 
Label Tells the Truth." 

So many States, especially around Kentucky, have 
adopted prohibition laws that it is no doubt difficult to 
get liquors into those States. The "holes in the walls" 
are called "tigers" in this section, and public officials 
are after them hard, especially in Tennessee. So this 
firm had adopted a bread basket the size, shape and 
style used by bakeries in shipping bread, at least pre- 
cisely like that used by one concern here that makes 
"Mother's bread, the kind your mother used to make." 
In this receptacle they were shipping the fiery water 
that makes you laugh, cry, weep and sometimes step 
high. Bread is the staff of life; every one wants it in 
hard times; and no questions are asked. 

I attended an auction sale of tobacco, and it was 
quite interesting to me. Whisky has a standard value 
in all markets, but not so with tobacco. It has no 
standard value, and is worth only what it will bring 
at public auction. 

100 



LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY 

This being one of the most important tobacco points 
in this State, or any other State, they have many and 
large warehouses, where hogsheads of leaf tobacco weigh- 
ing about 1,400 pounds gross, are stored from time to 
time. The receptacles are removed, and inspectors go 
along and extract samples from top to bottom, at four 
or five points. The samples are then tied together, 
labeled, marked, sealed and placed on top the hogshead. 
This may be done to several hundred in one warehouse. 
Then other warehouses are visited by these inspectors 
and the same routine work is repeated. In the Fall 
these sales occur daily; but this being the end of the 
season, and a sort of cleaning up time, the sales occur 
two or three times a week. 

Promptly at 9 o'clock two auctioneers appear, one 
relieving the other at times. There is a crowd of bid- 
ders representing the tobacco interests from the four 
corners of the earth. The French government had a 
representative present buying for the soldiers. The 
trusts had several sharp fellows watching, pla^dng the 
game, and drawing big salaries; yet we hear no more 
of the ''night riders." The growers are represented 
by a bright, sharp, nervous Scotchman, who fixes the 
price on all tobacco sold here. He is about forty years 
old and his name is Henry Gorin. He is a broker who 
plays the independent concerns and assists the farmers, 
or growers, in disposing of their tobacco with the best 
results possible. 

The excitement begins, for the auctioneers are no 
spring chickens, and Mr. Gorin starts the ball rolling 
with a bid. All the bidders have inspected the samples 
by seeing, feeling, and smelling, and some have kept 
records from which they bid. But Mr. Gorin keeps no 

101 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

records. It is second nature to him, as his father spent 
his life in the same business ; and the son is alert and on 
the job. 

So the music keeps up to the end until all the tobacco 
on the market for that day has been sold. Now, at 
the close, the grower is at liberty to accept or refuse 
the bid for his tobacco; but the broker is bound. And 
in this way millions of dollars change hands for this one 
product, — a product that has no fixed value, in the sense 
that other agricultural products have a market value. 

I met several brokers ; and they are a bright, happy, 
generous lot of fellows who are experts and know the 
game. There are all kinds of tobacco, but much the 
same after all. Drying and curing will affect the flavor 
at first until it passes through the exigencies of proper 
curing, and after this it is a safe investment to store 
and keep. Burley is the most productive, going as high 
as 1,500 to 1,600 pounds to the acre, while others will 
go 700 to 800 pounds to the acre. 

The best joke is on the smoker. You have noticed 
smokers almost get angry because they wanted a dark 
or a light colored cigar and failed to get it. 

The truth is, there may be four or five kinds of 
tobacco on the same stock. The leaves next to the ground 
are smallest and lightest in color. The top leaf is strong- 
er and darker. The middle leaf is largest. The top 
portion of a leaf of tobacco is darker than the under por- 
tion of the same leaf. Now, then, to make a light cigar 
the under part of the leaf is rolled outward, and to 
make a dark cigar the upper part of the leaf is rolled 
outward. And here you have a dark or a light cigar 
made from the same leaf. The next time you see your 
friends demanding a light colored cigar with some show 

102 



i 



LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY 

of feeling*, just stand hy and smile. Smokers are often 
more trying about cigars than old maids are about the 
pranks of healthy, wide-awake children. In this life we 
are prone to let trifling, little things disturb us and 
make us unhappy, when much that we think we feel 
and see is onh'- imagination — illusion. Notice the essen- 
tials, and ignore the non-essentials, and live long and 
be happ3^ 

This city is governed by twenty-four councilmen 
and twelve aldermen who serve without pay. The peo- 
ple are disgusted with the city government, accusing 
some of the public officials of grafting. Why not? 
They receive no pay. There are consequently frequent 
conflicts with uncertain results. The bad ones wear 
the good ones out. They never get tired, and so they 
keep in the majority until there is an upheaval. They 
ought to condense the city government and put the 
political intrigues to sleep if they can. 

The school sj^stem is in fine shape now. Formerly 
it was managed by fourteen trustees, who served with- 
out pay; and graft was charged constantly. The people 
became so stirred that the system was destroyed and 
a commission established. This commission consists of 
five members, and it has revolutionized the schools of 
this city and placed them on a high plane. The people 
are delighted. 

They segregate the boys and girls in the high schools, 
and I believe this is right. In most cases, girls and boys 
in their teens have their minds on other things than 
books; and their training here teaches them to fill dif- 
ferent functions in life. The girls are trained here in 
all the branches of domestic science. This is as it should 
be. The lioys have manual training and the business 

103 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

affairs of life are presented to them in the proper way. 
The people here are trying to get the worth of their 
money. 

Now this is not so in many cities. The cities, in 
most cases, are wasting millions of dollars through the 
public schools. The boys and girls turned loose — for 
that is the proper expression — from our public schools 
are not worth to society the clothes they wear. They 
are simply human beings incapable of doing anything 
worth while. In life they finally drift into the army 
of failures, a burden on society and a curse to mankind. 
A boy or girl should be trained to be a unit of real 
wealth, self-sustaining and resourceful, with the initi- 
ative to do and accomplish things worth while. 

Do our schools turn out such goods as we can proudly 
label, ''Made in America"? Ask any bank, any com- 
mercial or industrial enterprise, and get its answer. The 
prosperity, growth and power of a nation, and its per- 
petuity and influence in the world of nations, depend 
on the discipline, initiative, intelligence, and moral char- 
acter of the rising generation. Upon the generation 
which is fast fading away, rest these questions and 
these obligations. It is not performing its duty in this 
country. 

This city has about seven hundred saloons, which 
pay a special tax of $750 a year. This looks small, yet 
many saloon men say they are making no money; and 
some have failed. This is easily accounted for. The 
laboring man sustains the saloons, always and every- 
where. When he is out of work he has no money to 
spend in the saloons; he is not wanted and does not 
visit the saloon; and the saloon is up against it. The 
saloon is the heart of the local conditions in the indus- 
trial world. 

104 



LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY 

This is conclusive evidence that the saloon is bad 
for the laboring man. Fire water does not take the 
place of bread, meat, milk and beans, and never will. 
The one destroys life while the others maintain and 
sustain life. 

Again, the saloon interests will not obey the law. 
They are notorious law violators, and, on these viola- 
tions, argue that temperance is impossible and wrong 
while intemperance is right. No matter how reason- 
able the Government makes the regulations, they never 
submit and obey. On the contrary, they always an- 
tagonize and try to undermine government, the quiet, 
peaceful dignity of law and order. This is largely the 
reason they are looked upon as a menace to good gov- 
ernment in the eyes of a fast increasing majority. And 
it is best this should be so. Although the manufactur- 
ing of liquor is so extensive here, I have seen compara- 
tively few men under its influence. 

This city has one of the best library systems I have 
seen. There is the main library with eight fine sub- 
stations, two of which are operated by and are for 
colored people. Carnegie gave almost $500,000 to build 
the main building and sub-stations. The location and 
distribution is fine. Over 1,000,000 books are handled 
each year. I think much of this is due to the popularity 
of the gentleman in charge. He is active and has a 
fine personalit3\ Even the colored people are in dead 
earnest to improve themselves mentally. The parents 
are not satisfied to have their children grow up in 
ignorance. All you have to do to get the colored peo- 
ple to take advantage of opportunity is to give them 
the opportunity^ This city was the first to establish 
a separate library building for the colored people. In 

105 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

fact, the people here are somewhat more tolerant of 
the colored people. On the street cars there is no dis- 
tinction. Yet they tell me when they get into court 
they are doomed. The testimony of one white man is 
as good as that of a dozen colored men. However, they 
are treated better here than in any other southern State 
I have visited. 

I think the men in Congress who vote millions for 
some of these rivers I have seen, should hang their 
heads in shame. The waste and the useless and extrava- 
gant distribution of public funds to improve some sup- 
posed streams for navigation, is a disgrace to American 
statesmanship. If men in high places are so devoid 
of honesty and patriotism, how can you establish and 
maintain honesty in municipal governments? 

The Ohio Rapids are at this place. They are not 
large, but form an obstruction a few months out of 
each year, if the water is high enough to send a small 
boat up. So a canal was built around them. It is 
about one mile long. Dams were built; and if there is 
enough water in the river, they make about nine feet 
of water in the canal. This vas done about forty years 
ago. The canal is about one hundred feet wide, and 
the Congressmen from this State are asking for more 
money to make it two hundred feet wide. Up to date, 
the appropriations to make the Ohio River navigable 
for small boats are approaching $40,000,000 ; and all 
this in the face of the fact that the transportation on 
the Ohio River is not one-tenth what it was forty years 
ago. I talked with men wading in the water and hand- 
ling the boats who had been right there on the job 
all that period. The original cost was about $15,000,000 
for a canal about a mile long. 

106 



LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY 

These men told me that the railroads had made 
canals almost useless, for they had paralleled the rivers, 
made rates on the same scale as the boats and beat them 
on the service. Now is not this a fact everywhere? 
The rates of railroads are regulated by the Govern- 
ment, which makes them just and equitable for the 
railroads and the public. Wh^^, then, is there any neces- 
sity for canals ? There is no necessity. It is a diversion 
of public funds to the pockets of a few contractors and 
voters located along the line. 

The voting of public funds on a large scale to pre- 
vent floods is a beneficent act and a worthy cause. It 
is in line of development, of the preservation of life 
and property, and of the enlarging of the domain of 
our possessions. The Mississippi River is one in point. 
So many States are affected that it is a national ques- 
tion; and, with equitable charges for corresponding 
benefits, this public improvement should not be delayed 
any longer, but should be handled as one proposition in a 
scientific manner. The River and Harbor Bill now pend- 
ing in Congress should be defeated, and every official 
approving it should be classed with the ohl ward alder- 
men and refused further honors in the public service. 

The Southern people are not lacking for a place to 
go and worship. Some of the churches are magnificent 
structures, beautiful and costly. They have their col- 
leges, universities, and publishing houses ; and on the 
side they make tents, chairs, seats, and church furni- 
ture. Religion is operated much like a business. Preach- 
ers are manufactured as a tailor makes a suit of clothes. 
If cut out according to pattern, it fits. Why not, for he 
owes his education and position to some kindly dis})ose(l 
brolliern. Tlie Baptists, Methodists, and Cliristians are 

107 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

strong; and they dominate the South. Catholics are 
good with the Indians, but the colored man is not at 
home where he can not have his shouting, his praying 
and his singing. The Methodists simply transport him 
right into the "Gates Ajar"; so the Catholics let well 
enough alone and work quietly in other fields. We 
need them all, and even then may lose out; so give 
every one a free hand. 

One thing seemed odd to me. Some of the Southern 
States have enacted laws against tipping and are en- 
forcing them. Restaurants have put up signs reading, 
*'Do not tip. It is against the law." Now, I have al- 
ways tried to obey the law, or substantially so, usually 
because of the fear of punishment. I smiled and obeyed 
this law. It seemed so easy for me to do. 

I think tipping is one of the meanest customs we 
have in America, and we borrowed it from the French. 
Some of us can afford to tip and some of us cannot. We 
do not want to be mean, so we put up at European 
hotels and eat at cafeterias, to such an extent that 
nearly all restaurants in the first class hotels are play- 
ing a losing game. The traveling men are doing their 
work, for they are enemies of this custom, which in 
some cases has gone to the extent of being a species of 
blackmailing. It has spread out into the business life, 
on a larger scale, and is there properly designated as 
Graft. It is dishonest, and lowers the dignity of com- 
mon labor. It makes of the one who is compelled to 
depend on tips for a portion of his salary, a low, menial 
servant, — a beggar and an object of charity. We cannot 
make anything else out of it. 

A hotel will advertise its many advantages, and, 
among other things, "the service." What is the result? 

108 



LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY 

A boy takes your hand baggage and shows you to 
your room. A tip. You are a Yankee and ask for ice 
water. You are informed that you must call the kit- 
chen. Another boy brings the ice water. A tip. You 
lie down to sleep, and you find three maids looking 
after your room, each one expecting a tip. You take 
the elevator for the lobby. A telephone call comes. A 
page hunts you up. Another tip. If not, you are not 
found next time. You discover the house has twelve 
pages. You patronize the elevator often. Good serv- 
ice means tips, for you find there are ten elevator boys. 
You go into the restaurant. A white waiter approaches 
you, and a white one is the meanest of them all. You 
pay four prices for what you get. A tip, if you want 
to go in again. The next time you have a new table and 
a new waiter. You want your trunk. The porter is 
slow and uncertain without a tip. Your baggage may 
be damaged if you don't shell out. And your room is 
up towards a hundred dollars a month. 

Now, tell me, is that not a travesty on ' ' service ' ' you 
are getting ? Why do American travelers submit to such 
bondage? I am for the law and its enforcement. 

San Francisco, in this respect, was the meanest 
city I was ever in and Los Angeles the most consider- 
ate. Now, barbers in San Francisco have unions and 
have established a living wage. Their prices are at 
the top of the scale. Yet you must tip all around, 
including the barber, if you want to go back there 
again. When you remain in a city a few weeks you 
learn more than you would on a two-days' stop. You 
check your hat and tip a modest girl out of sympathy 
and you learn that she has no pockets and that your 
tip is turned over to a corporation. 

109 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

, You pa3^ top price for service to the management, and 
it should be compelled to pay a living wage to its em- 
ployes. If you get special services, that is another thing. 

On the boat on the Pacific a case occurred that I 
shall alwaj^s remember. A man of forty had married 
a young Avoman of nineteen; and they were leaving 
Oregon for Honduras, to get a start, as he had been 
unfortunate in Oregon. We had six waiters on the 
boat. Their daily subject of conversation regarding 
each passenger on tlie boat was as to how much he would 
dig up at the end of the journe.y. They had doubts 
about this couple. Sure enough, in a strange land and 
unable to speak the language, they were started for the 
shore in a small boat, forgetting their waiter. The 
waiters were prepared, and threw lemons after them 
and called them vile names when they returned to the 
boat. And this after paj^ing for first class tickets and 
sitting on stools on the deck. A woman on board lost 
her pocket book containing seventy dollars. When it 
was returned to her it was short thirty-five. And this 
is the service that awaits the traveling public in many 
places. We all tip, or nearly all of us. But we should 
stand for the law and obey it strictly to the letter; 
for it is justice to the servant and employer, and saves 
embarrassments and humiliations to many travelers who 
are forced to travel, and can afford only the legitimate 
expenses, which are as high as the traffic will stand. 
The only unusual thing I ever got on my tips was an 
extra dish of ice cream in New Orleans, and I believe 
the poor girl stole it. I tipped her well because I 
wanted to encourage her in bringing the proprietor to 
time, so that he would pay her a wage sufficient to 
enable her to clothe herself fittingly and be decent. 

110 



ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI 



St. Louis, Missouri 

SPEAKING of the custom of tipping; did it ever 
occur to you that you tip largely the servants who 
are not required to exercise much brain power in 
their line of work and confine your tips to your stomach 
and face and nails? 

You can often judge rightly about the justice or 
injustice of doing a thing by drawing a contrast. This 
enables you to see things from a new viewpoint. 

There is nothing more unpleasant than an ill-fitting 
pair of shoes, — nothing that so completelj^ puts one's 
body and mind out of commission. You go into a shoe 
store; and a clerk, with much care and some skill, prop- 
erly, comfortably, and neatly fits a last to your feet 
that makes you smile. He has taken pains and pride 
in doing something for you. Why do you not tip him 
ten per cent of the cost of the shoes? It is not the 
custom. Then make it the custom, for there is more 
sense in tipping this clerk than in tipping your waiter 
who does nothing but carry the food from the kitchen 
to your table, for which service tlie employer has hired 
and paid him. The chef and other employes, whom 
you do not see, weigh, measure out and cook the food 
ordered. So it is with tlie tailor or dressmaker and 
their help. They work into tlie small hours of night, 
by piece work, making your fine garments, doing nice 
work and assisting in getting perfect fits. Why do 
you not show your appreciation by giving them a tip of 
ten per cent of the cost? Start this custom if you are 
going to defend the other, because it is more just. 
Think of the poor newsboy who gets up at three o'clock 

111 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

in the morning to walk a mile, facing a cold wind and 
wading through snow and ice that you may have your 
morning paper on time. That is not all. A poor widow 
may have gotten up at the same time to make a hot 
cup of coffee • to warm her son up before he starts on 
his journey. If you miss your paper or the boy is late, 
do not swear at him or report him to the business man- 
ager of the paper. Be a true sport and tip the boy, 
for in nine cases out of ten he is a manly fellow, assist- 
ing his mother to keep from asking charity. This tip 
would be nobler than any you now give. Start the cus- 
tom. Remember the milk man, the grocer, the coal man, 
and the long list I know you are going to add for the 
future; and do not forget the preacher at the end. The 
preacher gets his pay at the foot of the class, because 
you cannot see what he has done for you. But do not 
violate the law. You will be happier and always feel 
better if you obey the law — I might say laws, both 
human and divine. 

In leaving Louisville for this city the traveler passes 
through four States, if he takes the route I did, — Ken- 
tucky, Indiana, Ohio and Missouri. These are our four 
grand good States, rich in every way. One thing that 
has impressed me strongly since I left New Orleans and 
wandered around in various States, is the difference in 
the progress made by individual States, with conditions 
of nature about the same in each. I noticed that in the 
States which spread education and learning among the 
masses, as a farmer sows his wheat, the people were 
up and alert and doing things in all lines. They 
made the ground blossom with roses and flowers. There 
was an abundance of grain of all kinds, and of fat 
horses, mules, cattle and hogs. Everything and every- 

112 



ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI 

body was full size with the attitude of aristocracy 
toward everything and everybody else. Indiana had 
this expression over Kentucky. Illinois surpassed Indi- 
ana; and it did look beautiful, with its farm houses 
and outhouses painted, and its farm implements and 
equipment up to date in every way. Illinois did look, 
and is, just as rich as the garden of Eden; and why a 
farmer should want to leave such rich soil to dig among 
rocks and sand pits to make a living is hard to answer. 
"With proper handling, its productivity can be doubled, 
and so can that of Iowa soil. 

We arrived here and found St. Louis a great, big 
city with about 800,000 people, doing business on the 
basis of 100 cents on the dollar. Look in every direc- 
tion, and things appear substantial. By 1920 it will 
have 1,000,000. Business has been bad for two years, 
but new blocks are going up ; and residences, some of 
them costly, are being built in large numbers. Its 
trade pressure is towards the south and southwest and 
is large in all lines. 

It could not be otherwise than progressive, because 
foreigners make up half the city. There are over 100,000 
colored residents, and they are increasing in number. 

The cit}^ was established in 1764 by Laclede, so 
it is quite old. It is governed by twenty-eight alder- 
men who are paid $1,800 a year. Lately a new charter 
was adopted so that hereafter the people will elect 
only three officers, mayor, treasurer and assessor. The 
mayor will then draw $10,000 a year. He appoints 
an efficiency committee consisting of three members, 
and all city employes must pass and be approved by 
this committee. The plan is to escape politics. One 
must be a Republican, one a Democrat, and one non- 
113 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

partisan. Time will tell how well they have succeeded. 
The council with so large a number will prove a nui- 
sance, and already some are accused of grafting*. City 
government in America is a hard problem and not yet 
solved. The curse is graft and political influence. To 
bring it down to a business basis when the people select 
the business man, seems impossible because of the in- 
competency of the masses to concentrate and choose 
tlie right one. 

The taxes are 70 per cent of cash value, and the 
levy is two and thirty-five hundredths cents. This is 
high. It costs nearly $11,000,000 to operate the citA^ 
This is twice as much as the State requires. When 
you think of the specials worked in on the people, this 
is quite a burden for them to meet. 

Plowever, the city owns its own water and garbage 
plants, and regulates all others. The water is good, 
but nearly all cities have good water these days. 

I called on Hon. F. W. Lehmann, and he was very 
happy. While I was there he opeiied a letter inform- 
ing him that he had won a $900,000 judgment and 
that the defendant wanted to pay. Mr. Lehmann is 
an lowan of whom w^e all are proud. He is on the 
square with all, and President Wilson could do noth- 
ing more appropriate than place him in the Supreme 
Court of the United States. He would grace that 
honorable tribunal in the eves of all. 



114 



CINCINNATI, OHIO 



Cincinnati, Ohio 

THE clay following' the presidential election I 
remained in Chicago, to visit friends; and to get 
retnrns and venture a guess, like most men, on 
the likely winner. Hundreds of thousands of people 
were on the streets blowing horns; and automobiles 
were legion. There is no place on earth like Chicago. 
In a few generations it will be the largest city in the 
world. 

I became tired, and, returning to my hotel lobby, 
seated myself comfortably for a rest. There were 
many people in the lobby. Suddenly a shrill whistle. 
round and musical, sounded from the balcony. In- 
stantly thirty or more men turned their faces heaven- 
ward to locate the call from above. A short, red-faced 
man caught the beautiful lady's eye and smiled; the 
recognition was prompt, and- he proceeded to obey the 
call. Possibly they were father and daughter. But 
the other men! They turned and frowned and were 
soon lost in the crowd. 

Then I thought how unfortunate were the founders 
of our religious creeds in not making the Lord a 
woman. Our men might have been, at least, more de- 
voted in their church work and possibly more liberal 
in their contributions for church extension. 

You know angels are men ; young unmarried women 
would, I am quite sure, vote almost unanimously that 
men are angels. But married women! Oh, dear! I 
would hate to see the returns. It would be the Solid 
South, over again, and I would not like to see the 
men discouraged even in trying to be angels. In this 

115 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

connection, I might say that I have been giving the late 
election returns serious thought. I once was inclined 
towards women suffrage, but I am drifting away be- 
cause of her conclusions recorded on November 7, 1917. 
Twelve States gave her the right to vote on presidential 
elections. Mr. Hughes promptly and very inadvisedly 
abandoned his party platform and early promised to 
work for an amendment to the National Constitution, 
granting this right to all women absolutely; and he 
continued to be aggressive on the subject. This was 
done at the urgent request of Senator Southerland of 
Utah: and both went down to defeat. Mr. Wilson was 
foxy and flirted with it occasionally; but all knew he 
was opposite to Mr. Hughes on the subject, designating 
it as a question for the States alone to decide. Now 
what were the results? The women of ten of the 
States gave their electoral vote to Wilson, Oregon and 
Illinois alone going to Hughes. In these two States the 
Hughes women were attacked and roughly handled 
by the Wilson following. They were also threatened 
in Kansas City, Missouri; but women in this State had 
no right to vote. Hughes lost 24 votes in Ohio, this 
being the first time it has gone Democratic since the 
Civil War. Ohio is a strong anti-prohibition State, the 
liquor interest being extraordinarily strong. Hughes 
failed to emphasize our unpreparedness for war. Mr. 
Wilson relied on his plea, ''I have kept the country out 
of war." Hughes spent much time on our foreign 
relations, and the women and laboring men had but 
little interest in this subject. One week before the elec- 
tion, the liquor interest in Ohio sent a secret circu- 
lar to all its friends in the State urging them to vote 
for Wilson, thus giving him 82,000 over Hughes and 

116 



CINCINNATI, OHIO 

defeating nearly the whole of the Republican State 
ticket. 

Woman's highest ambition is true motherhood and 
the possession of a husband. This is laudable and one 
of God's laws. When she wins her husband, she tries 
to keep him, and to inculcate in him a fondness for 
her and her home. She is always ready to resent the 
forcible taking away of her husband and her sons ; and 
thus she is, by nature, self-interest and sentimentality, 
against war. Mr. Wilson knew women's true charac- 
ter, and he played politics and won. Yet most that 
we enjoy and esteem so highly in this country came to 
us by inheritance from our ancestry, and was won 
in wars by the loss of many lives and the shedding of 
much blood. This, it appears to me, is why Hughes 
lost. He appealed to virile men, to American citizen- 
ship; and overlooked the weakness, the sentiment and 
self-interest of the woman voter. I believe Hughes 
received the votes of a majority of the women in Oregon 
and Illinois because of the attacks on his women advo- 
cates. Because of sentiment and resentment they 
wanted to, and did, record their condemnation of such 
acts. 

And again, not to exceed forty per cent of the 
women registered that they might cast their ballots 
on this most important office. Hughes did not receive 
a majority of these, except in Illinois and possibly 
Oregon. Thus, taking into consideration the large num- 
ber that refused to register and the large number voting 
for Wilson, who at heart is against them on this sub- 
ject, I am convinced that the majority of the women 
are against suffrage. This election shows plainly that 
the influence of women in American politics may have 

117 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

a tendency to lower the standard of courage and whole- 
some citizenship of our American manhood. Instead 
of Greeks and Romans, we might have pink-tea boys — 
mamma 's boys ; and this will be the beginning of lower- 
ing the character, the efficiency and the manhood of 
the male citizen of the American Republic. What we 
need is a race of men who are physically, intellectually 
and courageously strong men, with confidence in their 
power and justice on their side, men willing to fight 
and defend their rights. Such a race of men strength- 
ens and broadens women and perpetuates the nation. 
Most nations which have disappeared from the face 
of the earth became so from weakness from within, not 
strength from without. 

My first visit to Cincinnati has impressed me favor- 
ably. My father and his brother James purchased and 
drove hogs by the thousands from Greensburg, Indiana, 
to this city. That was many years ago, before rail- 
roads were built; and yet that is not so long after all. 
The city is very old. It is like a crazy quilt. As it 
grew, additions were laid out regardless of streets ; 
hence you have many short streets, narrow streets and 
long streets. They are just fairl,y clean, although there 
are waste refuse boxes on many of the corners. The 
city owns the water works and gives the people water 
at the rate of eight cents for 750 gallons. All other 
franchises are private. 

The pavements consist of granite blocks and of 
asphalt, most of which are in fairly good condition. The 
side-walks are fair. A few small parks have been lo- 
cated in the business sections. A canal runs through 
the city and connects with Lake Erie. It is no longer 
in use, and the city is now contemplating using the 

118 



CINCINNATI, OHIO 

space for rapid transit lines. It has about 400,000 
population, made up of everybody from everywhere. 
About 30 per cent of the people are Germans, and 
Jews are also here without number. It has good hotels 
and strong financial institutions of all kinds, as well 
as extensive manufacturing, wholesaling and jobbing- 
plants. About ever^'thing is made here. This gives 
employment to a multitude of laborers, and the}'' are 
receiving good wages. Just now, because of employ- 
ment, they are for Wilson and against war; and they 
are opposed to Wall Street, although Wall Street is 
the hand that is feeding them. Let Wall Street cease 
to loan another dollar to the Allies, and most of them 
would be on the sidewalks looking for a job. A poor 
man w^ould starve to death. A man with mone}' who 
keeps it busy is the best friend a poor man can have. 
The poor man should shake hands with him, become 
better acquainted, and get him to invest his money so 
that work will be plentiful. It is unfortunate for 
both when the poor man does not try to get better 
acquainted with the rich man. 

The old city is located on low ground surrounded 
by hills. It has gone behind the hills for miles around. 
The fine residential sections are in the suburbs, and 
some of these sections are built exclusively for the 
well-to-do. The business sections are made up of odds 
and ends. The place needs a fire. One often sees an 
old frame dwelling that has been turned into a busi- 
ness front, while next door is a modern five-story brick. 
This is seen on every street. The city is not attractive. 
It is democratic. No one is in a hurry, not even an 
automobile driver. A teamster will stop his truck and 
go in and bring out a bucket of ])eer. When the bucket 

119 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

is emptied, he moves on. Drinking is common, espe- 
cially with the working classes. About 800 saloons are 
in bnsiness, each paying $1,000 license a year; yet they 
tell me they are not making money. On Third Street, 
in the old section, many small business fronts are 
vacant. This is caused by some of the rich estates 
erecting power buildings. They put up a large building, 
and then rent floor space to small manufacturing 
concerns of all kinds, furnishing power to run the 
machinery. This is popular and profitable to both 
parties. Several such buildings are now in operation. 
The great obstacle to rapid expansion in this city 
is the large estates being kept intact. The Emery 
Estate is worth about $80,000,000. The founder, two 
generations ago, made tallow candles, putting his profits 
in real estate. A relative still runs the candle fac- 
tory, even in opposition to John D. Rockefeller. The 
Sinton Estate is worth about the same. Mr. Charles 
P. Taft, brother of ex-President Taft, was admitted, 
in this city, to practice law. He met Miss Sinton, an 
only daughter, married her and let his brother do the 
practicing. Mr. Sinton was a poor Irishman who dug 
iron ore, saved his money and invested it in real estate; 
and this is the result. The older he got, the more he 
hated to spend money. Then there is the Anderson 
Estate, which is the umbrella that covers Nicholas 
Longworth, who is well known as the husband of Alice 
and the son-in-law of Colonel Roosevelt. His aunt, Mrs. 
Bellamy Storer, comes under the same tree; you will 
remember that she had some trouble with ex-President 
Roosevelt, extending back to Rome. She is responsi- 
ble for the Rockwood Pottery which is manufactured 
here, and which is admired by many women. All live 

120 



CINCINNATI, OHIO 

here and amuse themselves in travel. Cincinnati is 
a wealthy city. Ohio, once Republican, is now lined 
up with Alabama and Mississippi. What would Har- 
rison, Garfield and McKinle}^ say? The city is gov- 
erned by a council of thirty-two aldermen, six of 
whom are elected at large. The Mayor with one coun- 
cilman, an Irishman, bosses the whole city; and he 
has held this job for thirty years. Beat this for con- 
tinuous power if you can. He has given them good 
city markets and 2,000 acres of parks ; and the people 
are contented, or seem so. 



121 



Lexington, Kentucky 

THE population of this town does not exceed 40,000, 
and yet it is as widely known as Chicago. It is 
well paved, and the streets are clean. It has the 
commission form of government, and is, in every way, 
a characteristic Kentucky town, — slow, easy going and 
taking but little thought of to-morrow. There is no 
manufacturing, and the retail stores are small. A few 
of the inhabitants are rich, but the masses are poor. 
They are busy with two things, horse raising and racing 
and leaf tobacco. The minute you get into town it is 
all ''horse," and tobacco is incidentally mentioned. Yet 
the tobacco crop is the backbone of the State, amount- 
ing to nearly $40,000,000 per annum. Whisky is next, 
with 32,000,000 of gallons per year. Louisville looks 
faithfully after that branch of the State's wealth. 

Kentucky has three famous race tracks, located as 
follows : One at Covington-Latonia, one at Lexington, 
and the other at Ijouisville. The one at Lexington is 
the best known. 

This city is situated in what is known as the "Blue 
Grass Section" of Kentucky. This is about the middle 
of the State. The size of the ''Blue Grass Section" is 
about forty miles square, and here, agriculturally, 
is the heart and wealth of Kentucky. The blue grass 
is luxuriant, and abounds everywhere. All horses, cat- 
tle and sheep living on it are fat. The land is rolling 
and is divided into large and small plantations. There 
are many magnificent mansions, — country homes, — 
built in the colonial style. The former owners, in 
many instances, were very rich. They were right royal 

122 



LEXINGTON, KENTUCKY 

entertainers, with all kinds of "brands" in the house; 
and they had horses as beautiful in action as photo- 
graphs, to take the host and his friends for an airing 
on fine country roads, surrounded by beautiful scenes. 
How could a person well filled within refuse to lift 
his hat and his voice for his host? So, far and wide, 
Lexington became known for its fine horses and beau- 
tiful women. The latter I found to be a myth, but it 
makes fine poetry and it is best not to spoil a good 
poem with facts, so here's to the ladies of Lexington. 
They want to be known as reformers and workers for 
the good of all, through their clubs. 

This race track has been in operation for about one 
hundred years. The early supporters have passed 
away; their sons are now old, and some of them have 
passed on. The last prominent character, Mr. Haggin, 
died some time ago at the age of nearly 90 years. 
He was many times a millionaire, and he left a young 
wife in the twenties. He was a true sport and loved 
the game. His stables have been abandoned, at his 
request ; and a fine ui)-to-date dairy has taken their 
place. He was a wise man to direct his sons into 
more conservative lines, away from drinking, betting 
and gambling; for fast horses, innocentl}^ and shame- 
fully, have these three brides trailing them, and they 
are at the wire when they come in to toss them flowers 
and smiles. As the old ones disappear, new ones are 
coming in to take their places. 

Some men who have made millions out of tobacco, 
oil, beer, whisk}^ and the like, and others who are 
rich through inheritance, take on stables for amuse- 
ment, and to learn the busincjs. Many of them are 
too old to do anything else, but they like tlie excitement,. 

123 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

and in time leam the business all right. There is no 
longer any money in the business. 

It is governed by odd conditions. You have a 
fast trotter, with many others in the same class. Some 
horse lowers the record materially'', and after that it 
is the only horse. All the others have fallen in value 
from fifty to seventy-five per cent. They are just car- 
riage horses, and the automobile is pressing hard for 
second place. The result is that many of the owners 
of stables are devoting their time and attention to 
running, saddle and general utility horses. 

They give three races a year, Wo running and one 
trotting, and hang up purses amounting to about 
$100,000 each. Bookmakers and the usual accessories 
are found here in attendance. Many of the owners of 
stables spend but little time here, so country enter- 
taining is a thing of the past. Many of the fine farms 
and fine homes have been converted into tobacco plan- 
tations. The mountaineers have come down and rented 
many of these places and are devoting themselves to rais- 
ing tobacco, and I was told that they are hard workers 
and are making good. So you see the moonshiners are 
all right when they get started on the right track. Thus 
tobacco is crowding out the horse stables on the one 
side and the dairy on the other, and it will continue so. 

They have the finest grade of sheep and cattle, as 
well as horses. In the fields you see Southdown, Hol- 
stein, Herefords, Jerseys and so on. But poultry is 
not considered. One sees few fowls of any kind. In 
the sections near the mountains, outside of the blue 
grass regions, is great poverty. They have one or 
two pigs for meat, a small patch of corn, a little hay, 
a doe: or two and some guns. The owners work little 

124 



LEXINGTON, KENTUCKY 

and hunt much, catching mostly rabbits. They live 
in the usual log cabin with one room. The horses are 
so poor they lean with the winds, and it seems that if 
they should fall they would have to be helped up. This 
is a fair description of country life as it exists outside 
of the famous "Blue Grass Section." A few saw mills 
are in operation, on a small scale, in the mountains. 
Most of the taxes for the State are levied on foreign 
corporations. Taxes are high, hence corporations are 
few and the masses remain poor and idle most of the 
time. There is nothing for them to do but hunt and 
drink, and they are not fond of work anyway. They just 
live from daj^ to day. I started on a stroll to the edge 
of the town, and shortly an undertaker dashed up with 
his wagon right by me. I did not need him, for I 
felt much alive. He jumped off and called to a col- 
ored stranger to cross over as he wanted to see him. 
The colored man did as he was requested. The under- 
taker then opened the wagon to show that there were 
no ghosts within. He then told the colored man that 
he wanted him to help him carry a corpse down stairs. 
The women began to congregate, and I moved on. 

To me it seemed so rude. ' I feel that in the last 
lap of the journey to the city which has its streets 
paved with gold, a human being should be more gently 
handled. I hope to have at least one gentle touch, one 
kind look, one sweet remembrance, if it be only a 
single rose placed on my coffin by a poor, neglected 
bootblack who has always performed his work with a 
humble spirit and done it well. It is sweet to be re- 
membered even in death. 

I then meandered over several blocks and turned 
toward the city. On my way back, I observed a horse 

125 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

trade negotiated by a little nervous man on a small 
pony and a large man with a large horse hitched to 
a buggy containing himself and his wife. I paused to 
witness the deal, and this almost caused my ruin. 

When the exchange was made, the tall man and his 
wife got into the buggj^ The little fellow was grin- 
ning all the time. The big man took hold of the lines 
and the pony would not move a foot. It stood "with- 
out hitchin'.'' The big man got out and deposited his 
wife on the sidewalk. She refused to smile. The pony 
was so poor you could look through its body and see 
the ribs on the opposite side. The little fellow took 
hold of the bridle and the large man pushed on the 
lines. They moved forward a})out one hundred feet. 
Then both got into the buggy, the little fellow driv- 
ing. All at once, the pony started and they drove 
around two blocks, returning to the place from which 
they started. Then they alighted and exchanged back. 
The big horse was equally as poor as the pony. The 
Kentuckians are great traders, especiallj' with horses. 
This is why these two men traded, so far as I then 
knew. 

I continued my journey towards the city until I 
came to ''Cheapside" in front of the County Court 
House. Here I saw that a large crowd had gathered. 
There Avere horses, mules, cows, pigs, chickens, fight- 
ing roosters, buggies, wagons, chains, ropes, shovels; 
in fact, everything you could possibly find in a junk 
shop was there. The crowd consisted of about 200 
men. Some were long and some were short. All were 
unshaved and had long hair. All were chewing tobacco, 
and the ends of their mustaches had turned yellow. 
They wore soft hats and boots. They filled a block. 

136 



i 



LEXINGTON, KENTUCKY 

I was assured that there was not a sound animal in 
the lot. All were poor, and I noticed that some stood 
on three leg's and rested the fourth leg. The Humane 
Society was on hand in the person of Mrs. Snyder; 
and she claimed that these animals had been brought 
from outside counties and that some had glanders, 
some pink eye and so on. 

That morning, I had made the ac(iuaintance of a 
relative of tlie sheriff, and lie afterwards proved to 
be my friend. Mrs. Snyder, the representative of the 
Huinane Society, had arrested tiie men engaged in the 
horse trade 1 had witnessed. She accused the little 
fellow of trading a g'landered horse, and the big fellow 
was arrested for swearing at her. 

She learned that I had witnessed the trade, and ap- 
proached me with her body guards, a deputy sheriff 
and a policeman. 1 refused to be interviewed. She 
gave me her })ledgc of honor not to involve me in any 
way, as a witness or otherwise; and my friend, the 
sheriff's relative, heard her pledge to me. I told her 
what T had seen of the trade, and then she slipped 
around and ordered the sheriff to summon me as a 
witness at the trial the next day. The sheriff came out 
and asked me my name. I told him it was John Smith. 
He returiied to <lraw up the papers. T slid dowji to the 
walk, and the sheriff"s relative told me to skip, as the 
woman had betrayed me. 1 hid that afternoon and 
night, and left town the next morning. Now a man 
would not have done that to me under the same cir- 
cumstances, and I want to ask this cpiestion : Has a 
woman any honor for lier word when she has a pur- 
pose or an interest to serve? 

About one hundred years ago, it was the custom 

127 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

in Kentucky to go to the County Court House each 
month on the Monday when the court opens, which is 
called ''Court Day," and to take all these odds and 
ends to trade and dicker over. There was drinking 
and fighting and sometimes cutting and shooting. At 
the same time, neighborhood litigation was taken up 
by the Judge for trial. This was the beginning and 
cause of feuds in Kentucky. These gatherings con- 
tinue to this day. The celebration lasts only one day, 
but sometimes it becomes fierce. The animals are doc- 
tored up in every way possible. They are doped dur- 
ing the day, and the innocent ones are swindled. This, 
in turn, generates bad blood. My own experience as 
a witness only, convinced me. I saw the laying of the 
foundation of a feud that very day. It is the same in 
every county when the Monday court . opens, so these 
professionals go from county to county in what they 
call a circuit. In no other place on the face of the earth 
is such a thing tolerated, except in London. With the 
abolishment of ''Court Day," and possibly of whisky, 
Kentucky will have no more feuds. Most of the mur- 
ders occur on Court Day. The next woman that 
pledges her honor to me must "show me" that she 
is sincere. If my local friends had increased in num- 
ber, I might have been forced to give bonds for my 
appearance and to remain long enough to become a 
"colonel" or the subject of a first-class funeral. 



128 



FRANKFORT, KENTUCKY 



Frankfort, Kentucky 

SINCE the State of Ohio has concluded to join Ala- 
bama and Mississippi, for social as well as politi- 
cal reasons, you can very properly class the city 
of Cincinnati as half Southern and half Northern in 
more ways than one. On the other hand, it is one 
of the most cosmopolitan cities in America, although 
slow in action and slow in thought. 

Its retail merchants never buy ahead, but make 
their purchases from week to week when the foods are 
needed; hence, it is a good location for jobbing houses. 
This shows the careful, conservative disposition of the 
people and a desire not to speculate but to be con- 
tented with small profits which are carefully laid by 
and saved. 

Ohio is a great State; it is rich in every way and 
has factories ever3^where. Why Wilson, rather than 
Hughes, carried the State is no doubt understood by 
many people; and when understood, it is very simple. 

The Jews control the liquor interest of the State. 
They were friendly to Wilson. They have free lunches 
in the saloons, and in some cases these are very elabo- 
rate. The reason Cincinnati has so much drinking is 
because the laboring men, in many cases, omit the 
midday lunch and take their buckets to the saloons 
and get four glasses for five cents. Then they eat 
heartily of the free lunch and drink the bucket of beer. 
Many of them spend from twenty to thirty cents a 
day in this way. A few saloons give a chicken dinner 
daily, one-half chicken for twenty-five cents. Now 
think of Hughes and his suffragettes running up 

129 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

against a proposition like that ! However, thousands 
of these men were Republicans on protection, and ex- 
pected to win. These men were scared. They felt 
that their customs and habits of life were going to 
he taken away from them, and they naturally resented 
it. Mr. Hughes and his managers did not appreciate 
the situation, and they ignored the State organization. 
This resulted in the defeat of the National and State 
tickets. Strange as it may seem, millionaires, clerks 
and day laborers sit around the tables in these saloons. 
They enjoy the free lunches together as one brother 
with another. They are on a common footing and 
a common level. They are never in a hurry, for they 
know there is another day. 

We were glad to glide into old Kentucky, and to 
visit Ludlow, Covington and Newport. This State has 
not to exceed seven or eight good trading towns, all 
the others being just political headquarters and not 
much better than cross-road towns with post offices. 

The State is hilly and rough everywhere, except 
in the western portion. Here it is low and marshy. 
There is little progress and not much business. There 
is some timber but this section is short on almost every 
thing else of real value. The people are lazy, indif- 
ferent and satisfied if they can get enough to live on 
from year to year. 

Frankfort, the capital, is surrounded by hills and 
is a town of about 20,000 people. Everything about 
it looks old and is old, including the people. They 
stand around expecting something to turn up in the 
way of State jobs, odd jobs, or jobs of any kind. They 
are living on the reputation of the State, — a reputation 
earned by people long gone to their reward. They 

130 



I 



FRANKFORT, KENTUCKY 

are the tail end of the fast fading aristocracy, yet they 
are still proud, sensitive and are '' Kentuckians, suh, 
yes, suh." That ''suh" is never omitted by the high 
or low. They are uniformly courteous and polite and 
are pleased when they know their efforts are appre- 
ciated. As in all capitals, the "ex-distinguished poli- 
ticians" still hang around, most of them being on the 
"waiting list." Others find something to do and con- 
tinue their residence at the capital of the State. One 
old colonial — I am sure he was colonial — passed by 
on the street. He was erect, wore a white hat, white 
spats, and a fairly good suit, and carried a cane. I 
just thought that at some time he had visited New York 
city, not Chicago. He was the only one of his like 
in sight, for I looked long and carefully until my de- 
parture. He was an old Kentuckian whom you could 
not forget and would not forget if you could. And 
why should you? 

The State has erected a beautiful building of Ver- 
mont marble and granite, on a most sightly location 
commanding a fine view of the country far and wide. 
The interior is arranged in an attractive and practi- 
cal way. The grand stairwaj^s are beautiful and im- 
pressive. In the rotunda, under the dome, is a heroic 
statue of Lincoln. It is of antique bronze, mounted 
on an appropriate pedestal of the same material. Only 
one painting was exposed in the grand hallway, and 
that was a likeness of none other than Henry Clay, — a 
large magnificent canvas. This recalled the period of 
time when Kentucky was in her prime, — when her 
public men made and wrote history. 

In front of the capitol building, as you approach 
it, is a fine granite monument erected by the State to 

131 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

commemorate the death of William Goebel, designated 
as governor, ''who was shot in 1900, while approaching 
the capitol, by a rifle ball fired from a private window 
of the office of Secretary of State, Caleb Powers. ' ' 

William Goebel was fourteen years State Senator, 
a valuable public official, and responsible for some im- 
portant legislation; and his activity and energy had 
created some bitter political enemies. His career was 
cut short for he was only forty-four years of age, active 
and in the full spirit of the times. 

On the campus near by, a large, commodious exec- 
utive mansion has been erected of the finest granite. 
It is the residence of the Governor, and is colonial in 
style. I met several of the State officials who were 
more than kind, but Governor Standley was at home 
struggling with some carbuncles. 

One of the two penitentiaries in the State is located 
here. It has 1,400 convicts. Some are employed on 
contracts and others are employed by the State in build- 
ing good roads. The roads are being built of crushed 
stone and concrete, and they are fine. They have al- 
ready built many miles of these roads. Rock exists 
here in abundance. Not only have they built main 
roads, but cross roads are being built in every direc- 
tion. Frankfort is only thirty miles from Lexington, 
the center of the Blue Grass Region. Here it is largely 
barren and dreary, and little is produced from the 
soil. The minerals are all located in the eastern part 
of the State. Only about one-third of Kentucky is good 
for agricultural purposes. The other two-thirds is 
more suitable for certain kinds of stock which the peo- 
ple do not care to bother with. The precedents handed 
down from generation to generation have taught them 

132 



FRANKFORT, KENTUCKY 

to do other things, and these teachings they have blind- 
ly followed, much to the neglect of their business. 
So the ' ' Old Kentucky Home ' ' can be sung with feeling 
and appreciated by all Kentuckians who are growing 
old. It relates to the good old times gone by. To 
them it is the '' Sweet Old Home." 



133 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 



Richmond, Kentucky 

MANY years ago, at different periods, two adven- 
turesome pioneers, Daniel Boone and Samnel 
Kenton by name, entered Kentucky from the 
southeast. Each was surrounded by a band of rugged, 
daring young men. Restless in spirit, these youths 
were out hunting for new fields and new lands, for 
riches, and for excitement for their young unbridled 
spirits. 

The new land Avas mountainous. The Cumberland 
range of mountains and its branches, covered with tim- 
ber and inhabited with Indians and game of all kinds, 
was a delight to the new arrivals. It afforded them 
food, and the pleasure of hunting, occupied their minds 
and made life enjoyable in their new home. However, 
they became lonesome in time; the young men took 
unto themselves Indian wives; and the wilds of the 
mountains became their future home. The fruits of 
these unions were half-breeds. Their numbers increased 
rapidly, and they roamed over into Virginia and down 
into North and South Carolina. 

Such was the ancestry of the present inhabitants 
of the mountain ranges. These people possess the traits 
of character of both the Indian and the white races. 
Shorn of both religious and educational influences, and 
possessing a roaming, predatory disposition, they go 
from place to place for food and raiment, and are 
without restraining influences of any kind. The moun- 
tains are filled with coal and other minerals, yet even 
unto this day the mines are but little developed. In 
time they erected log huts, their habitations consisting 

134 



I 



RICHMOND, KENTUCKY 

of one room in many cases, and being without win- 
dows. They never pretended to raise anything beyond, 
a few simple foods necessary to sustain life, the prin- 
cipal productions being corn and potatoes raised in 
small patches near their houses. The corn made excel- 
lent food, and, when ground on stones, produced the 
meal for pancakes. In time, this life became too stren- 
uous ; so they needed a stimulant, and began producing 
whisky for their own use and eventually for the mar- 
ket. This brought them into conflict with the National 
Government, for they refused to pay the government 
tax. Their whisky became known as ''moonshine," and 
the makers as ''moonshiners." Almost from the begin- 
ning, government revenue collectors have been doing 
all in their power to break up this business of the 
mountain native; yet moonshine still flourishes. This 
struggle with the Government has made them suspicious 
of all strangers; so they travel with a rifle in hand or 
a belt around the body, containing one or two revolvers 
as large as small cannon. The Indian spirit, to get 
the other fellow before he gets you, predominates their 
whole lives. They get the other fellow when they catch 
him off his guard. In this phase of life, there is no 
honor among them, not even towards each other. They 
trust no one, not even God. This is why they have no 
windows in their houses. The entrance is through the 
door. At night, the outside door is locked and bolted; 
and then the rifles and guns are placed near the cot 
as bed companions. Thus they are ready to defend 
their lives and earthly possessions from the whole world 
without. You will find much of this spirit through- 
out Kentucky, getting the other fellow before he gets 
you. They would regard a man as crazy who would 

135 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

hand his opponent a revolver and request him to step 
off so many paces and, on a signal, begin operations. 
In nearly all shooting scrapes, only one man is killed. 
Usually the assailant is untouched because he caught 
the other fellow off his guard, possibly looking in an 
opposite direction. This does not strengthen men in 
the moral code, and this weakness permeates business 
life. Many wholesale and jobbing houses avoid Ken- 
tucky because many of the merchants are slow in mak- 
ing payments and some of them do not pay at all. The 
same conditions exist among the masses, so it is a very 
unsatisfactory State in which to do business. 

However, great changes have taken place in the 
mountains in the past few years. Outside capital has 
started to develop the natural resources of the State. 
Railroads have been built in the coal fields right in 
and among the mountaineers. This has wakened them 
to civilization. Church organizations have sent mis- 
sionaries into the mountains, and these representatives 
have made many sacrifices in extending religion with 
one hand and education with the other. These things 
are making great changes among these people. They 
are mellowing down gradually, and to-day are much 
better than they used to be. They are fast developing 
into good citizens. They now venture more often into 
the sunlight. They never have been a bad people, but 
they were misunderstood by the outside and, in return, 
they looked on all mankind as against them. Even with 
tlie large population, only one circulating library exists 
among these people; and that is located at Rugby, Ten- 
nessee. Some good English people are responsible for 
placing this Angel of Peace among them, and I was 
told that it was doing much good and was appreciated 

136 



RICHMOND, KENTUCKY 

by the inhabitants. Mr. Carnegie might be induced 
to have his name inscribed on some cornerstones along 
this mountain range; and the children might some day 
rise and call him blessed and go on a long journey to 
place flowers on his grave after all others have for- 
gotten him. You cannot always tell when or where 
good deeds done to-day may end. However, those who 
give should be the judges as to where and to whom 
their benefactions should go. 

I made the acquaintance of a missionary who, with 
the help of his wife, has worked several years among 
these people. He told me some amusing stories. On 
one occasion, he came to a stream which had risen about 
two feet and was several feet wide. He had begun to 
build a dam to get across without getting wet. While 
he was at w^ork, two moonshiners came along with 
mules. They had jugs of whisky in one end of a sack 
and rocks in the other to balance the whisky, both 
sacks being tied together. They asked him what he was 
doing, and he told them. They told him he would have 
to cross the stream six times before he would arrive 
at the place to which he was going; and they insisted 
on his mounting one of the mules with them. This 
he did. When they got in the middle of the stream, they 
stopped and pulled out a bottle of moonshine and urged 
him to drink. He pleaded with them. He told them 
of his work in life and explained that he did not drink 
and did not want to offend his Master. They told him 
if he did not drink they would throw him off into the 
stream. He pleaded long and hard, and they finally 
yielded and took him safely over on the other side. 
He told me that the same experience was repeated every 
time they got him into the water, and always with the 

137 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

same result, and so in due time they landed liim 
safely at his destination. On another occasion, in go- 
ing along a public highway, he came upon some men 
playing cards; and, quick as a flash, they arose as one 
man with rifles drawn at action. However, with due 
explanations, he was permitted to pass on, and they 
proceeded Avith the game of cards and placed their rifles 
by their side as before. 

On another occasion, he stopped at a place to re- 
main over night. The man had thirteen children, and 
the home consisted of the usual one room. They granted 
his request. These people are most hospitable. Thej^ 
will share anything they possess with you as long as 
they regard you as their friend. On the arrival of 
the hour to retire, his bunk was made on the floor, 
and then the parents and children left the house. Later, 
nine of the children and the parents returned and 
slept on the floor. Next morning when he left he re- 
quested the parents to have all of the axes sharpened, 
stating that he would return on a certain day and make 
some improvements in the house. They said it could 
not be done. He told them to have all the boys at 
home. He returned, as promised; and wdth axes and 
bo3^s they felled some trees near by and in one day 
built an addition to the old house, thus improving 
it greatly. From that time, the whole family became 
his loyal friends and supported him on all occasions. 

Thus kindness and good deeds often accomplish 
much. They take deep roots, and they influence the 
actions and thoughts of mankind more than all other 
forces combined. 



138 



CHATTANOOGA, TENNESSEE 



Through Tennessee 

AS WE leave Lexington, Kentucky, for the South, 
we recall the motly crowd from the mountains 
and interior assembled on ' ' Court Day ' ' around 
a life-sized statue of J. C. Breckenridge. This statue is 
located in the center of the Cheapside and shows Gen- 
eral Breckenridge in the attitude of addressing the 
masses. "With these people, he was exceedingly strong 
and popular. But the one of all others whom the whole 
nation still loves and respects and in whose honor a mag- 
nificent monument is erected at the cemetery is no other 
than Henry Clay. He needs no monument. With his 
name is linked that of Daniel Webster. When you recall 
one you naturally think of the other, as their names 
and lives are jointly written in American history for 
all time. They are two stars of the past that will 
shine brightly throughout future ages. Clay 's old home, 
''Ashland," still stands and is preserved and occu- 
pied by his relatives. Another famous home is located 
here and still preserved, that of Mary Todd, wife of 
President Lincoln. ''Abe" Lincoln Avas born about 
ninety miles from Louisville, Kentucky, which is not 
very far from here. 

Kentucky is rich in American history, from Rev- 
olutionary times up to and including the Civil War. 
During that period it produced many national charac- 
ters, but has not done so well since. Scientific men 
claim that in this State terminated the Glacial Slide, 
which we are informed occurred in the dark and misty 
past. In fact, Kentucky has many historical towns and 
interesting spots, and there is beautiful scenery every- 
where. 

139 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

As we drift southward we pass some beautiful stock 
farms and some tobacco and hemp fields; and we see 
a better class of towns and hamlets. We notice more 
lumber mills, more coal mines, and more industry of 
every kind. Most of the towns are larger, having a 
population of from 50 to 1,000. Three or four run 
from 1,500 to 6,000. More cereals are raised. The land 
is more fertile and the people are different. Educational 
institutions are more numerous. 

The Queen & Crescent Railroad passes through much 
of this romantic country, and it is so rough and moun- 
tainous that we pass through twenty-three tunnels, one a 
mile long, and over High Bridge, which was supposed to 
have been the home of Daniel Boone, and at this point a 
bridge which is 310 feet above the water spans the Ken- 
tucky River. The river affords navigation. It ranges 
from twenty to thirty feet deep. Here the banks of the 
river rise on each side to the height of from 200 to 
300 feet. 

Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia and Missouri tried 
to be neutral during the Civil War; and in these four 
States most of the battles were fought. 

We soon reach the Cumberland River and come to 
the town of Burnside, which is named after the Union 
general who operated in this section with Generals James 
A. Garfield and George H. Thomas. One can find inspi- 
ration here for novel writing, if he is so disposed. He 
can find subjects among the natives, — any kind he 
wants. At Rugby, Tennessee, Thomas Hughes wrote 
his "Tom Brown at Rugby"; Mark Twain had to try 
his hand with the "Gilded Age"; and Charles Dudley 
Warner smiled in on the place at Frankfort, Tennessee. 
Here, the writer's subjects would l)e real human beings 

140 



CHATTANOOGA, TENNESSEE 

with some life and original thoughts and impulses. The 
Cumberland mountains, the rivers and streams and the 
rugged scenery are inspiring to a people, in most in- 
stances; for they are as God made them, without frills 
or fixtures to deceive anyone. And here we find that 
the "Mound Builders" once lived on the Cumberland 
Plateau. So whether the traveler goes West or South, 
he fijids evidences of a branch of the human family 
that preceded us some time in the long ago. 

Tennessee is more progressive than Kentucky, in 
many ways. The settlers are more industrious and 
substantial. In Morgan County, there are many Ger- 
mans, and they grow much fruit such as peaches, 
apples, strawberries, etc. This is true in most sections 
of middle Tennessee. The State is between 500 and 600 
miles long. It is low in the west, a table land in the 
middle and mountainous in the east. Memphis, the 
only commercial city in the west, is surrounded by 
low, swampy grounds for miles around. Much cotton 
is produced in the territory it controls, and this is 
the main revenue. It is a good substantial city con- 
taining about 150,000 people. There is some jobbing 
and wholesaling. It has the commission form of gov- 
ernment. Nashville comes next in size, and Chatta- 
nooga is third, with about 80,000 people. The Ten- 
nessee River is navigable and flows through Chatta- 
nooga. As we approach this city from the north we 
pass through some rich deposits of iron ore, which is 
being mined extensively. Coal also exists in large 
quantities. The iron ore and coal are from the veins 
which extend into Alabama. With these rich deposits 
of ore and minerals of various kinds, with valuable 
woods, and the production of fruits and vegetables, 

141 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

the people cannot but progress; and you see the evi- 
dences of this progress all around you. Large quan- 
tities of all these products are shipped out in a com- 
pleted state, many of the small towns having manufac- 
turing plants of one kind and another. These give 
employment to the masses; and for the past two years 
the foreign war, and not the Underwood tariff, has 
kept them busy. Long before the traveler enters Chat- 
tanooga, over a bridge across the Tennessee River 
1,800 feet long, he sees the city with clouds of smoke 
rising from many smoke stacks. It is located in a 
beautiful valley with Lookout Mountain on one side 
and Missionary Ridge on the other, and the Tennessee 
River passing down the center. Forest fires are now 
raging in the mountains and that makes the sky a hazy 
blue. This is not a good time to visit Chattanooga. 
May, June and September would be ideal months. 
However, the Winters are not cold. Occasionally the 
thermometer gets down to fifteen above. In these 
months you would miss much of the smoke, especially 
that from forest fires; the vegetation would be green; 
and this, with the background and setting around 
about, would make it one of the most beautiful spots 
among the many that exist in this country. 

This city has some large factories and many small 
ones. About 200 kinds of articles are made here. Some 
important foundries are located here. The city has 
some good wholesale and jobbing houses which handle 
drygoods, ready made clothing, machinery and supplies. 

The banking facilities are good. One bank has 
nearly $7,000,000 in deposits, housed in its own build- 
ing fourteen stories high. 

This is good for a town of about 80,000, counting 

.142 



CHATTANOOGA, TENNESSEE 

its suburbs. They claim 100,000, but that seems to 
be a little strong. 

Its hotels are numerous, one being a new one twelve 
stories high. It is doing a good business and is well 
located. It has a commission form of government. The 
town is dirty. There, is dust everywhere. It is no 
doubt hard to keep it clean because of so mau}^ smoke 
stacks, and it is better to have both than neither. How- 
ever, I am sure the conditions could be improved. 

The retail stores are small and most of them are 
unattractive. The fact is the impression is that of 
a dirty, manufacturing town, for it could not be other- 
wise when factories are operated in the heart of the 
city. Factories should be segregated, and American 
cities must come to that if they expect to have clean, 
beautiful places in which to live. Living and smoke 
conditions should be separated. 



143 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 



Chattanooga, Tennessee 

IT IS impossible to come to this city without serious 
meditations on the past. Go where you will, turn 
any corner or look in any direction, and your at- 
tention will be called to conspicuous evidences of the 
heroic struggle between father and son, brother and 
brother. This struggle was in defense of an emblem, 
a national symbol which proclaimed the Union of States, 
the birth of a new nation. This nation was won after 
many sacrifices and at the end of a severe struggle; 
and that emblem proclaiming freedom of religious 
thought and the liberty of a new Republic was won 
by the common ancestry of these men now engaged 
in civil strife. 

It is strange that among a people of one common 
language and with perfect freedom of conscience such a 
controversy should arise over the adjustment of a sin- 
gle question for which the flag stood — the freedom of 
thought and action of every human being living under 
its folds; but such was the case. 

The principle involved had a financial consideration 
in addition to the question of the right of one man 
to claim the body of another. It was impossible to 
eliminate the financial phase of the question, because 
one side refused to listen to any proposition. Hence, 
one of two courses had to be taken. The North was 
compelled either to back down or fight. 

Nations have questions arising which cannot be arbi- 
trated and never will be. These questions may be 
domestic or foreign. Arbitrations must be either vol- 
untary or forced; and forced arbitration, to a nation, 

144 



CHATTANOOGA, TENNESSEE 

is the taking away of its political sovereignty or its 
right to govern. This would be making of it a de- 
pendancy. It would be yielding to a superior power 
whose joint or collective interests might be very detri- 
mental to the nation so submitting. We must always 
bear in mind that there is a little human nature in 
all mankind and nations are human like individuals. 
In isolated cases, it might be successful ; but as a fixed 
policy, selfishness and want of impartiality would re- 
sult in its failure. Courts are only forced arbitration 
tribunals for individuals; and, with our Government, 
Federal Courts are such tribunals as far as individual 
States are concerned. Hence, the civil conflict had to 
come. 

In 1862, the Confederates had taken possession of 
this city as a base of operations in both Tennessee and 
Kentucky. Finally, there were gathered here 75,000 
Confederate soldiers and 55,000 Federal soldiers. Rose- 
crans had charge of the latter and Bragg of the former. 
On September 18, 1862, both forces gathered near 
Chickamauga Creek, lining up in position, with their 
respective opposing forces and with their instruments 
of destruction. By the morning of the 19th, they were 
in deadly conflict. They were so close to each other 
that friend could have recognized friend. They were 
only seventy-five or one hundred yards apart. The 
batteries facing each other were this close. The con- 
test was in the open, in the fields in a wooded section. 
There was no underbrush. They fought on one man's 
farm, then on his neighbor's. They struggled for the 
mastery over 7,500 acres of land, 6,000 of which was 
timbered. Sometimes one side would break away and 
the other would advance. Sometimes sections of both 

145 
10 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

armies would be engaged in three or four different parts 
of the battlefield at the same time, there being appar- 
ently no concerted action. This continued throughout 
the first day, and on the next day, September 20, the 
hardest and most destructive work was done. Old 
soldiers will picture in their mind's eye the Chicka- 
mauga Battlefield. There was Kelly's field, an open 
space where desperate fighting took place. There was 
Poe's field, where the ground was covered with dead 
bodies from both sides. There was Vinard's field, the 
Bloody Pond, where the Federal troops went to wash 
their wounds, there being so many that the water took 
on the constituency and color of blood. Boys, the pond 
is still there with the water cleared of the blood. Then 
there are Brotherton 's house. Lytic 's field, and Snodgrass 
Hill, where General Thomas had his headquarters. 

The Government has purchased all this ground and 
calls it Chickamauga Battlefield. Most excellent care 
is taken of it. There are markers in every direction 
giving the locations of the Union and Confederate 
generals and their troops from time to time, as the 
two-days ' battle progressed. Most of the Northern States 
have erected monuments to their soldiers near the place 
where they did their hardest fighting; but, up to this 
time, only a few of the Southern States have so acted. 
Each of the numerous markers is a large iron plate 
about four feet square fastened in a post stuck in the 
ground. These markers have been placed there in great 
numbers by the general government; and their inscrip- 
tions in raised letters, together with the various 
inscriptions on the State monuments, give a very accu- 
rate history of the battle. There are fine driveways 
in every direction. 

146 



CHATTANOOGA, TENNESSEE 

Two State monuments that I saw are more pathetic 
to me than the others. One was a monument in honor 
of a color bearer who had been shot and had fallen 
against a tree, but was still standing upright holding to 
his flag. Two of his comrades were killed later, one 
on each side of him; and in falling they leaned against 
his body each almost in an upright position. In this 
position, their State reproduced their figures in bronze, 
standing on a pedestal. Another State has a monu- 
ment of one of its boys and his horse. The 3'oung 
soldier was shot and fell from his horse; and the 
poor dumb brute, in loyalty, kept its position for 
three hours in line of battle. Its memory is perpetuated 
in a life-sized figure in bronze. This ivas a noble horse, 
"not too proud to fight when it had to." At that 
time, all the farm houses were log cabins and they are 
preserved, some after being restored, the same as they 
were on the first day of battle. The blacksmith shop, 
also, is there as in the days of old. 

Many trees still show their wounds from shells and 
cannon balls. Their wounds have not completely 
healed. The scars are still exposed, but they are not 
bleeding now. 

It would be an interesting trip for anyone, espe- 
cially for an old soldier who escaped alive. Nearly 
40,000 men died in this engagement. Many were buried 
on the spot at the time, and afterwards exhumed and 
placed in a National Cemetery in the city, where the 
Government located it. This occurred about two years 
afterwards. Men have told me that all the dead were 
not buried at the time, for they went over the ground 
two or three months afterwards and saw skeletons 
scattered over the surface. About 15,000 are buried in 

147 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

the National Cemetery, nearly 6,000 of whom are with- 
out names. The Confederate dead were taken to 
Georgia. 

On the night of the 20th, Bragg and his generals 
withdrew to Missionary Ridge and Rosecrans fell back 
to Chattanooga. Both generals were reprimanded for 
mistakes, and Rosecrans was succeeded by Thomas who 
was later succeeded by Grant. Both forces began to 
repair their forces. Bragg undertook to starve Grant 
out by closing navigation on the Tennessee River. Rose- 
crans found a way to get supplies by Brooks Ferry. 
This situation continued until November 24, 1862, when 
General Hooker captured Lookout Mountain. This 
mountain overlooks the city, as it is 1,400 feet above 
the river. From its top, on a clear day, the observer 
can see into seven States. The day of the conflict was 
rainy and mistj^, so this battle was designated as one 
taking place in the clouds. However, the real battle 
took place in Lookout Valley. 

Grant had established his headquarters on Orchard 
Knob, not far from Missionary Ridge, where Bragg was 
located. Grant heard that Bragg had sent Longstreet, 
with 30,000 men, to Knoxville ; so, on November 25, 1862, 
Grant went after Bragg and captured Missionary Ridge. 

This enraged the Confederate soldiers, some of whom 
considered Bragg a traitor and went so far as to 
threaten to kill him at the first opportunity. This 
feeling in this locality lasted for several years, and 
Bragg moved away and in the future never exposed 
himself much around Chattanooga. 

At the time all this occurred, this city had about 
6,000 inhabitants. Now Lookout Mountain and Mis- 
sionary Ridge, except the land owned by the Govern- 

148 



CHATTANOOGA, TENNESSEE 

ment, are covered with homes, some of them beautiful 
ones. The Government maintains fine driveways in 
both places. There are care-takers, and everything looks 
well. 

Iowa has done her part in erecting monuments, 
both in Lookout Valley and at the Chickamauga Battle- 
field. Nearly all of the Northern States have done the 
same. New York has erected, on the top of Lookout 
Mountain, a magnificent monument dedicated to peace. 
About eighty feet in the air a Confederate and a Fed- 
eral soldier in bronze are clasping each other's hands. 

Thus ended one of the bloodiest and severest battles 
of the Civil War. Blunders were made on both sides. 
Both did the best they knew how; but the same thing 
could never happen again under modern equipment. 
The machine gun has driven music from the field of 
battle and placed the soldier under ground. The ad- 
justable cannon, throwing shrapnel, would never per- 
mit Hooker to take Lookout Mountain or Grant's men 
to scale Missionary Ridge. War, in these days, is a 
matter of Chemistry, Mechanics and Submarines. 
Wars will still occur but not so often. They keep 
humanity from getting stale. 



149 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 



AsJieville, No7'th Carolina 

WHEN tlie traveler gets a safe distance from 
Knoxville, Tennessee, the veil of coal smoke is 
lifted; and he has giimpses of blue sky, golden 
sunshine and peaceful agricultural scenes. There are 
cattle, horses, hogs and poultry ; and the fields give prom- 
ise of an abundant harvest of corn, wheat and other ce- 
reals. The farm houses and outbuildings are fair. There 
are also evidences of mineral wealth in abundance. One 
firm has over 3,000 men employed mining zinc ore, and 
the prices brought about b}^ the foreign war make this 
once base and neglected metal look like silver and gold 
so far as one's bank account is affected. The limestone 
mills are numerous and there is a good supply of coal. 
The fine public highways continue the same throughout 
the State. 

As we approach the North Carolina line, the moun- 
taiijs become more rugged and picturesque; and the 
French Broad River is our companion, first on one side 
of the train and then on the other, until we arrive in 
this city. 

It is hard to explain why some things are named 
as they are, and the same is true of people. Now, there 
is Mr. Morning Star, who perhaps never saw the sun 
rise, let alone the morning stars. There is Mr. Doolittle, 
who is the hardest working man in the town, although I 
once knew a case where this name exactly suited the man 
who bore it. And so it is with the French Broad River. 
It is narrow with a fairly swift current, as is true of 
most mountain streams. It furnishes fine water power 
for electric and manufacturing plants, and is so used 

150 



ASHEVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA 

all along. The Sauthern Railway has built its roadbed 
along this stream which winds around the base of the 
mountains. The bottom is filled with rocks of all sizes, 
and as the water rushes along, these rocks cause ripples 
and white caps to arise. Green foliage clothes the 
mountains on each side. It is a beautiful spot and w^orth 
going far to see. Laborers all along have small ferries 
loaded with lumber to be brought across the stream to 
the railroad track on the opposite side. Some are pro- 
pelled by cables and others by poles in . the hands of 
strong men. The little stations, just trading centers, 
are tucked away in the crevices of the mountains here 
and there, a few miles apart. 

But there is a sadness along this river right now. 
Last July, for some cause, the heavens opened and water 
fell in streams. The river rose, and mountain streams 
brought down great volumes to add to its fury. Big 
trees were torn up hy the roots and carried into the 
river, and this beautiful quiet stream became a demon 
of destruction. It rose nearly twenty-five feet above its 
banks. It turned over huts and cottages, which were 
clinging to the sides of the mountains among the trees. 
Wearing apparel and things domestic were lodged 
among the limbs, high and dry. The lumber town of 
Marshall, North Carolina, was almost destroyed. 
Bridges, dams, roadways and railroad tracks suffered 
alike. 

Visitations of this kind are necessary, sometimes, in 
some localities, to remind human nature that other forces 
of a superior and different kind still exist and are active. 
The effect on man is to make him more humble and con- 
siderate of others, — a better human being. Too much 
prosperity leads to haughtiness, oppression, neglect, and 

151 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

sometimes cruelty. We all are one, whether white or 
black, Jew or Gentile, rich or poor; and a sympathy 
broad enough to enfold all mankind as brethern is 
better than gold. 

Finally we arrive at Asheville, a town of about 
20,000 people, set up high and dry on a plateau sur- 
rounded by mountains on all sides. It has no smoke, 
no factories. The natives, for the most part, make their 
living by entertaining the tourists who come here to 
escape the extremes of heat and cold. The altitude 
is about 1,700 feet. This enables one to sleep under 
covers in the Summer season, and the mountains give 
protection against extreme cold in the Winter season. 
Sometimes it gets down to zero in December, January, 
February and March, but this temperature is of short 
duration. It snows then, sometimes several inches. The 
air is bracing, light and healthy most of the time. It is 
in the Blue Ridge Mountains. The average rainfall is 
about thirty-four inches and of snow ten inches. 

It is a boosting town. That is, it has its civic or- 
ganizations in all lines, tryijig to induce men and enter- 
prises possessing capital, to locate here. Boosters and 
boosting towns are very much alike, when they under- 
take to overcome the natural disadvantages. When they 
get capital once firmly tied to the soil, then the pioneer 
boosters start their machines, — I mean their milking 
machines. They fix the machine to the udder, the same 
as is done with a Jersey cow. Then the tube is con- 
nected with a bucket, the public tax collector; and the 
performance begins. The Newcomer stands and deliv- 
ers, grinning if it is not too strong, but ever conscious 
that he is being milked. 

The town has twenty hotels, some of the finest in 
152 



ASHEVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA 

the country. They charge from six to fourteen dollars a 
day. However, most of them are reasonable, including 
the expensive ones, as they try to make the traveler's 
stay pleasant. It costs a quarter to ride in an auto- 
mobile to your hotel, a distance of a mile. Signs are 
nailed up, and one knows what he is doing. The highest 
prices I ever paid to have my trunk moved from the 
depot to the hotel, a few blocks away, were in San 
Diego, California, and Des Moines, Iowa, both small 
cities. 

The altitude has attracted many tubercular people; 
but the city government has segregated them. A hotel 
is fined if it knowingly accepts one, and the room so 
occupied must be promptly fumigated. A person spit- 
ting on the walks or in public places is subject to arrest 
and a fine, and all streets are flushed and not swept. 
They want the visitor to see and understand that this 
is a health resort town. All garbage is gathered by the 
city and incinerated. It is a clean, attractive city; and 
beautiful homes, some of them very costly abound on 
the sides and slopes of the mountains in every direction. 
Many wealthy people from different States have homes 
here, some remaining throughout the year and others 
making them their Summer residences. 

Rooming and boarding houses are everywhere. The 
drinking water comes from Swannanoa River, which is 
fed almost wholly from springs toward the top of Mount 
Mitchell, the intake being at an elevation of 500 feet 
above the city. The city owns its water works and the 
watershed of thousands of acres from which the water 
starts. The supply is abundant. The boosters have 
caused fine roads to be built around and up the moun- 
tains in every direction, and thus many beautiful 

153 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

mountain views have been added, within reach of the city, 
for the pleasure of the tourist and the native citizens. 

It has separate schools for its white and colored pop- 
ulations. The colored children, however, are not per- 
mitted to go beyond the tenth grade. All are supported 
by taxation, colored teachers being employed for the 
colored children. An industrial school is maintained 
for the colored people. 

The South makes a mistake w^hen more liberal edu- 
cation is not given to the colored people. The South 
needs the colored man and cannot get along without 
him ; and the more intelligent he is, the more competent 
he becomes as a servant. In the South he will always 
be a tiller of the soil and a servant. Make him more 
efficient, and he will create the opportunity to progress 
with the balance of mankind. The only difference be- 
tween riches and poverty is industry-, efficiency and 
economy. The colored man is human ; he has the desire 
to succeed when given the opportunit}^, — and he is suc- 
ceeding. Ignorance is expensive wherever you find it, 

If you visit this city and fail to take some of the 
mountain trips, you miss much; and of all these trips, 
the one you should not miss is a visit to Biltmore Estate, 
the Southern home of the late George W. Vanderbilt, a 
grandson of Commodore Vanderbilt. The Commodore 
made all his descendants rich enough to do what they 
liked. One thing is certain ; the Commodore would never 
have put any money into the Biltmore Estate. It is no 
more and no less than a pleasure park without divi- 
dends. The New York Central must live and prosper to 
keep it going. 

The estate proper contains 12,000 acres of rough 
land covered with trees, many of Vanderbilt 's own 

154 



ASHEVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA 

planting*. He obtained them from everywhere and se- 
cured almost every kind suitable for this climate. He 
aimed to have a complete variety of everything that 
grows, including shrubbery. He then built forty miles 
of macadamized roadway along the hills, over the ra- 
vines, crossing and recrossing, including a bridal path. 
This made it picturesque and novel, a suitable place for 
a rich man to entertain his friends and waste his money. 

The name ''Biltmore" is taken from two names. 
"More" was the name of his mother, and in front of 
his mother's name, he added the last syllable of his fa- 
ther's name "bilt"; and thus we have the name "Bilt- 
more. ' ' 

At the entrance to the estate, on one corner of it, he 
built a town, and called it Biltmore. It is complete in 
every \Yay. The buildings belong to him. The streets 
are paved. He established a school, a post office, etc. He 
rents the dwellings and business houses to any one who 
desires to live and do business there. All the buildings 
seem to be occupied, and the town is very attractive. A 
large two-story brick building at the edge of the town is 
the office of the estate. You must call there and get 
a ticket costing twent\^-five cents before j^ou can be ad- 
mitted. The Southern Railway has a station at Bilt- 
more, and its right-of-way passes through a portion of 
the estate. Swannanoa River passes by one side of the 
estate and empties into the French Broad River; and 
the latter river, in turn, encircles the estate on two 
sides and continues its journey until it reaches Knox- 
ville, Tennessee, where it empties into the Tennessee 
River. French Broad River did not spare the estate 
when it overflowed its banks. It caused damages 
to the extent of about $25,000, obstructing the roads, 

155 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

washing away feed and provisions on the strips of low 
farm land, and destroying the nursery. At Biltmore, 
in places, the streets were submerged as much as ten 
feet, and four persons were drowned. 

Mr. Vanderbilt's original ideas were changed, in 
many cases, before his death about two years ago. He 
incurred great expense in collecting ornamental ti'ces 
and shrubbery, intending to make a profit on the sale 
of the same. This was abandoned. He undertook to 
raise flowers for the same purpose; and this was not 
profitable, and was abandoned. He maintained a hot 
house to raise vegetables, and that was given up for the 
same reasons. He went into the poultry business, and it 
shared the same fate as the other ventures. The late 
flood finished the remains of the nursery, and the pres- 
ent plan is to enlarge the dairy and raise farm products 
to feed the cows. The dairy is apparently the only 
adventure that will be self-sustaining. 

The estate now has about 250 Jersey cows of the 
highest grade. The barns are light and airy, and noth- 
ing is left undone to meet all sanitary conditions. 
There is even a frequent test for tubercular trouble. 
The cows are nicely bedded at this time of the year, 
from fallen leaves gathered in the forest. Each day at 
9 A. M., they are turned out in an open field for 
exercise and browsing, and they remain out until about 
4 p. M. Separate and perfect records are kept of 
each cow. The kind, quantity and quality of feed she 
eats are weighed out to her at each meal. The milk she 
produces at each milking is likewise weighed. When she 
fails to make good, she is ''ditched," as the overseer 
expressed it, — turned into beef or destroyed. One cow, 
now eleven years old, produced in one year 12,793 

156 



ASHEVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA 

pounds of milk and 780 pounds of butter. Now, she has 
been an extraordinary cow. However, she is no longer 
valuable. She had an accident and had to be operated 
on. The real productive life of a cow is only from five 
to ten years of age. 

They have discarded all milking machines, because 
it took more men to operate the machines than it did to 
milk the cows. They now milk the cows by hand, one 
man looking after fifteen cows. Because of economy and 
the distance necessary to haul the feed, they are estab- 
lishing little colonies over the estate and locating the 
cows and men where the feed is produced. There are 
about thirty cows in a colony. The milk is brought to 
the central station for distribution. 

They are now receiving fifteen cents a quart for 
certified milk, and all of it is disposed of in Asheville. 
They also make cottage cheese and ice cream. 

In order to manage such a large undertaking, the 
business of the estate is divided into departments, with 
a superintendent in charge of each department. 

The calves are sold and shipped to all parts of the 
country, at prices ranging from $50 to $3,000 apiece. 

At the far end of the estate, on top of the moun- 
tain, Mr. Vanderbilt built his American Chateau — a 
castle indeed in the wilds of the forest, with the hills 
and the mountains near and far away. Not being con- 
tented, he purchased 120,000 acres beyond his home. 
That took him to the top of Mount Pisgah for his hunt- 
ing grounds; and here he built his lodge in the wilds. 
This lodge was his Summer home, — a place to hunt and 
fish and amuse himself and his friends. He expended 
$51,000 for a roadway to get to it. Since his death 
86,000 acres of his hunting grounds have been sold to 

157 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

the United States Government to form part of the Appa- 
lachian National Park. 

His home, built of Indiana stone, is most imposing, 
yet lonely and isolated. It is 375 feet long and 150 feet 
wide. It contains 165 rooms, only 70 of which have 
been furnished. It takes twenty servants to look after 
the house when it is occupied, otherwise the number is 
i-educed to seven or eight as care-takers. 

The Italian gardens at the side are a dream, a rest- 
ful place to be on a beautiful day. The drinking water 
is piped from a distance of twenty-two miles in the moun- 
tains. Many springs exist on the estate, and Yander- 
bilt created three beautiful lakes, one with a waterfall. 

While he lived he never owned an automobile, but 
he loved horses and had the best that money could 
buy. His stables contained fifty-five saddle and driving 
horses. His widow now owns five automobiles and keeps 
only five or six horses for her pleasure and amusement. 
She enjoys horseback riding. The forty miles of road- 
way on Mr. Yanderbilt's estate gave him privac3^ There 
was nothing to disturb him. Watchmen are located 
everywhere and they are old, faithful servants, for he 
bought the estate twenty-eight years ago and it took him 
twelve years to develop his ideas and carry out his 
plans. During this period, he and his mother lived on 
it in a very modest home. He built a railroad four miles 
long to haul the material that was- required for his new 
mansion. Hundreds of men were employed. It now 
recjuires about sixty men to operate the estate. 

This young man was rich without effort. He pos- 
sessed a love for the artistic and romantic, and an income 
sufficiently large to meet every demand of his fancy; 
and he gave them free play. He did as his wishes 

158 



ASHEVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA 

dictated from time to time. He was only twenty-four 
when he purchased the estate. He was short and heavy 
set — being- about five feet in height and weighing about 
170 pounds. His hair was dark. He was plain and 
simple and democratic in his waj'S. At about the age 
of thirt}^ he married Miss Dresser of Newport, Rhode 
Island, a tall woman, about six feet in height, and 
weighing about 160 pounds. Her hair was dark. She 
was simple, sensible, plain and likewise democratic in 
her ways. She is now less than fortj^-five years of age. 

The fruit of this union was one daughter, who is 
now about sixteen years of age and is attending school 
in Washington, D. C. Her mother has just gone to 
Washington to be with her. The widow is in love with 
her mountainous home in the ''Land of the Sky" in 
western North Carolina ; and why should n 't she be ? A 
rich widow with one daughter to love and adore ! 

Her husband died at the age of forty-two. He was 
taken sick at his lodge in the mountains. Returning to 
his home and making no gains after a few days, he 
went to Washington, D. C, to consult a doctor, who pro- 
nounced his trouble appendicitis. Then there was an 
operation, and the end. Why is it you never hear of 
hardening of the arteries, apoplexy and appendicitis 
around the poor farm, in the home of the man who digs 
in the ditch or among the individuals asking for alms? 
All these fancy ailments the doctors have placed on the 
backs of the rich. If I were a rich man, I would be 
afraid to consult a doctor. There are many things in 
this world worse than being poor. Most of these aristo- 
cratic ailments have come into existence the past few 
years only. Avoid riches and be happy, with no 
thought of to-morrow and appendicitis. 

159 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 



Charlotte, North Carolina 

THIS is one of the neatest and cleanest towns in 
this State. It possesses a population of about 
40,000 people, mostly native born. The climate 
is fine, the temperature seldom going to zero, and in 
the Summer season, going occasionally as high as 100 
degrees. 

It is well laid out, the main streets being wide and 
the cross streets more narrow. The side-walks are wide, 
and both streets and side-walks are maintained in good 
condition, there being waste boxes along the curb to 
avoid littering of the streets. The people, as a rule, 
are clean; and do right. That is, they do the best they 
can if 3^ou help them and make it easy to do right. It 
is just as easy, in fact easier, and not so expensive, to 
tempt people to do right as it is to tempt them to do 
wrong. Much of the crime committed in this world is 
caused by some one, either in private or public life, 
tempting another human being to do wrong. This is 
mostly unintentional too. A little care and caution 
avoids much trouble and expense for both the tempter 
and the tempted. So try to be good ''even if you be- 
come lonesome," for you feel better in doing so and are 
not so liable to become nervous over what some one 
else will do or is likely to do to you. 

Financially, the city has been poorly managed. It 
is bonded for about $2,500,000 and going deeper into 
debt, because it is spending more each year than its 
income. Getting into this habit brings about the same 
results to cities as it brings to individuals who un- 
fortunately drift into that way of trying to do business. 

160 



CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA 

In most cases, it leads to an increase of crime, because 
it produces poverty and distress. Both of these con- 
ditions often initiate or generate criminal thoughts, 
which sometimes materialize into criminal acts. Al- 
ways spend less than you take in, and you will be happy 
and contented; you will possess moral strength, patriot- 
ism, power and influence; you will be imitated and 
looked up to. Cities are only a collection of individuals, 
and the government ruling a city is no higher or better 
than the individuals living within its corporate limits. 
Hence, it is the duty of each individual to become 
ashamed of his city when its government is poor, and to 
work and agitate for better things. This each citizen 
owes to all governments under which he may be a sub- 
ject. A slacker is a drone, an enemy and a burden to 
society, because he fails to take an active interest in 
all public questions coming before the electorate of the 
government to which he owes his allegiance, whether 
it be a city, county, State or National government. 

So the people of Charlotte are in the midst of a hot 
campaign to change the form of government from the 
aldermanic to the commission form, with three com- 
missioners; and the prospect of winning is good. The 
business and laboring men are making speeches in which 
they are pointing out the defects of the old manage- 
ment and giving the usual reasons for adopting the 
new form. They had it up once before, and were de- 
feated; and now they are trying it again. This is good 
citizenship. One who ceases to work for a better and 
nobler object is a weakling. He has lost his grit. It is 
grit that makes the man, and the want of it the weak- 
ling. This city now has twenty-one aldermen. That is 
enough to put any small city in the hospital. Each 

161 
11 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

alderman must do something for his constituents. It 
has almost as many traffic policemen as Chicago. A 
sprinkler wagon has two men to operate it. I did not 
ask whether a third man was provided to feed the mules 
or not, but I have no doubt one exists. It cost $300 to 
remove a tree from the edge of the side-walk and it 
did not obstruct the walk very much at that. 

Now this is the condition of the average American 
city. It has an income of $260,000 a year and an ex- 
pense account of $410,000. Of course it has a floating 
debt of $220,000, which means with a city more bonds 
and with an individual more notes. In both instances, 
there is a settlement day ahead. Like death, it is sure 
to come. 

Charlotte has several factories, making different lines 
of goods, but principally cotton. Cotton is the life of 
tlie town, for the mills are large and do a large business. 
The cotton business is extensive in the middle and west- 
ern part of the State for these sections are influenced 
by the Blue Ridge Range of mountains. The soil is 
acid, sandy, clay and rich. The State is as much an 
agricultural and stock State as it is a cotton and tobacco 
State, the two latter being the principal productions of 
the farmers for the past generations to the neglect of 
foods of all kinds. The people buy food from the pro- 
ceeds received from the sale of cotton and tobacco, that 
is, they simply trade dollars. They nearly balance ; for 
this State has a population of 1,500,000 of people, and 
the foods imported from other States, with other neces- 
saries, reach close to three-fourths of a billion of dollars. 
This is the main reason why this State has made so little 
progress in the last fifty years. And this will apply 
Xo most of the Southern States. 

162 



CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA 

The colored people raise the cotton and tobacco and 
know nothing about producing anything else. The white 
people are too lazy and shiftless and too proud to work. 
It is a disgrace for them to do manual labor in the 
eyes of those who can live without work; hence, we 
have "skimmed milk aristocracy" on a large scale. They 
are consumers and not producers, burdens and not help- 
ers ill the race of life, ' ' gentlemen and ladies of leisure, ' ' 
existing on the toil of an "inferior" race. The exodus 
of the colored people to New England and the North 
and the preparedness of the United States in the war 
with Germany are going to make a New South, a South 
that will expand and grow into magnificent proportions. 
The white people will take to the soil from necessity and 
raise food stuffs, vegetables, fruit and stock. This will 
bring about new social and political relations and the 
creation of much new wealth. To-day, this State has 
fewer cattle and hogs by thousands, than she had fifty 
years ago, yet the population has more than trebled. 
No wonder living is high, not only here, but everywhere, 
for the conditions in this respect are much the same in 
the other Southern States. They now have boys' and 
girls ' clubs everywhere and are starting out to do things 
with the land, only a small portion of which is under cul- 
tivation. Sentiment is going to change with the whites, 
and the agriculturist will be the real, genuine, "blown 
in the bottle" aristocrat of the future. Why should 
this not be so? Why should not the human mind take 
pleasure and delight in making things grow and mature, 
with the assistance of God, thus feeding and making 
happy other members of the human family? There is 
no pleasure in the world except the pleasure you get 
in making others happy. To be a real producer of good 

163 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

things, even with the hoe and the spade, is something 
of which no man or woman should be ashamed. You are 
contributing something to the general good of the hu- 
man family by producing something worth while — the 
necessaries of life. 

It is claimed that twenty-seven men met in Char- 
lotte on May 20, 1775, and drew up a declaration of 
Independence from British rule. A fine monument has 
been erected on the court house square to the honor of 
these men. I am not certain whether or not true records 
of this occurrence exist. However that may be, no doubt 
such meetings did take place in different parts of Amer- 
ica as a forerunner to the real Declaration of Independ- 
ence of July 4, 1776. For men to draw up such a 
document and sign it and send it out to the public re- 
quired iron wills and the true courage of patriots, that 
is, the courage of men who are willing to give their 
lives for the right and for true ideals as they see them, 
not only for themselves, but for all mankind. Such 
individuals are real heroes, worthy to be thus honored 
by future generations. They are the men who con- 
tribute things worth while to the human race. The 
pity is that there are so few who possess the intellect 
and moral courage to point the way through darkness 
into the open field of light and sunshine, to a land pro- 
ducing wine, milk and honey, enough for all and plenty 
to send to others. The youth of this generation are not 
so reared as to bring about such characters; and yet 
the making of good citizens is the most vital interest 
affecting good government,— its greatest asset. To bring 
forth the finest type of manhood and womanhood the 
governmental agencies can produce should be the aim 
of all. 

164 



RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA 



Raleigh, North Carolina 

AFTER the fall of the Confederacy strenuous polit- 
ical times arose all over the South. This was due 
to the unfortunate death of Lincoln, and to the 
reconstruction of the seceding States. From the sea of 
suggestions and ideas, a policy was adopted which em- 
bittered the South against the North more than ever. 
This polic}' established what was known as ''the carpet 
bag" government over local affairs in the South. To do 
this, marshal law was installed in the States which at- 
tempted to sever the union; and marshal law ruled not 
only the States but most counties and municipalities. 
Colored men were installed in office, in high and low po- 
sitions, and this humiliated the white population by 
elevating the late servant over the former master. This 
method and policy could have but one result and one 
ending — constant strife and conflict and the sowing of 
the seed of hatred and intrigue. It brought commission 
of crime as the fruit of resentment. 

Most of the colored officials were unable to read and 
write and were totally ignorant of business affairs. This 
resulted in waste, loss of public funds, extravagance and 
in many cases, embezzlement. White men were forced to 
ask colored men for their marriage licenses, a fact which 
they regret to this da.y. Their anger and resentment 
over many things like this are related to the rising gen- 
erations ; hence, we must realize that the Southern gentle- 
men of this day feels just a little unkindness towards the 
* ' Yankee, ' ' not only for starving him into submission, 
but for elevating the colored servant over his former mas- 
ter. This may be forgiven, but cannot be wholly forgotten. 

165 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

This control of the States and their internal affairs 
by the Government continued for about two years, when 
it was abandoned upon fulfillment by the States of cer- 
tain obligations which they were forced to meet before 
becoming members of the Union again. 

In the meantime, a secret political organization 
sprang up in different sections. This was known as the 
Ku Klux Klan. The object sought was to eliminate 
the colored public official and with him "the carpet 
bag" form of government. The organization lasted for 
several years. It was at first composed of men with no 
evil motives, but later the rough element joined and 
the organization did not hesitate to commit crime. One 
colored man in this State was hung. The organization 
finally got so bad that the general Government deter- 
mined to suppress it, and in 1871 Congress enacted the 
Force Bill or Ku Klux Klan Act. From that time the 
organization gradually ceased on account of the with- 
drawing of the members. 

This town was headquarters for the organization 
in this State, and the Federal court indicted a large 
number of men, who were brought to trial in 1869. Be- 
cause of the large number indicted, the senate chamber 
of the State capitol was used for a court room; and 
Salmon D. Chase, the chief justice of the Supreme Court 
of the United States, came here and presided at the 
trial. After weeks consumed in taking the evidence, 
substantially all were found guilty; and Justice Chase 
assessed a fine against all except one defendant. Owing 
to his obstinacy and lack of respect for the court, this 
man was sent to the penitentiary for two years. 

The chair occupied by Justice Chase at the trial 
is still in use, and is used by the president of the State 

166 



RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA 

Senate. Most of the chairs in the senate are close to 
100 years old. This State is not extravagant in the 
way of abandoning the old for the new, yet it is growing 
in wealth very rapidly. 

The legislative halls are on the second floor. Long 
winding stone steps are used to go above from the 
ground floor. It is said that when the carpet bag gov- 
ernor was managing the affairs of the State, he used 
a room on the second floor for a saloon, and that col- 
ored people, as well white people, had free access to this 
room. The edges of the stone steps in many instances, 
are broken off. They say that this is the result of roll- 
ing whisk}^ barrels up and down the stairway. This 
is another reason for a subdued, unkind remembrance 
of days just after the war. 

I attended a court trial while here. The purpose 
of the trial was to attack the validity of a vote on the 
issue of road bonds — an issue which was carried by 
about seventy votes. It seems that a colored man was 
given his freedom by his master, who also set him up 
in business. He prospered from the start, owned much 
propert}^ at the end of the proposed highway, and was 
wealthy in stores and lands. He hired colored men, 
by the dozen, and those working for the highway saw 
that he had them vote. The plaintiff was contesting, 
under the grandfather's clause, their right to vote. If 
their father or grandfather was a slave, they must qual- 
ify before they can vote, — that is they must be able to 
read and write. The seats on one side of the court 
were occupied by the colored men, and those on the 
opposite side by the whites. The colored men had books 
and papers, and they were studying hard preliminary 
to their ordeal when called to the witness box. It was 

167 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

amusing. The court looked like a school room. The 
rich colored man was bright ; he was keeping them busy 
on the subject in hand, and had been doing so since 
the trouble arose. Many of the colored boys were apt 
pupils, and acquitted themselves with credit. 

A cit}^ election was in progress while I was there; 
the contest among some of the candidates was close ; and, 
in order to win, they had begun to register colored 
voters. This enraged many white men who claimed 
that 750 such names had been placed on the poll books. 
They denounced it as an outrage. 

To me, these local contests forecast the final victory 
of the colored man. I believe that in the end he will 
be allowed to vote. It will come gradually and after 
he has acquired property and gained a broader knowl- 
edge of affairs through education and experience. All 
young colored boys and girls are very eager to go to 
school, and their parents are willing to sacrifice in 
order to keep them in school. The results will appear 
in the next generation. 

When we consider where the colored man came from, 
how he became a slave, the short time of his freedom, 
and the adverse conditions which have surrounded him, 
we must admit that he has indeed accomplished much. 

He was no better than a wild animal running in the 
jungles in Africa. He was a member of a tribe. Each 
tribe had its rulers, the same as our Indians. Tribes 
became hostile to each other and went to battle, the 
same as our Indians did and the same as civilized nations 
are doing to-day. The tribe which was victorious would 
take the enemies as prisoners, and these prisoners were 
sold into captivity and exported to foreign lands. In 
this manner we came into the possession of slaves. Of 

168 



RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA 

course, since they were uncivilized and running wild, 
their was no such thing as husband, wife or family. 

To separate units so related and associated broke 
no ties and caused no hardships. In the end, it meant 
an elevation to the colored man, the descendant of the 
son of Ham ; but the curse of Ham has always followed 
him, and I presume it will be so to the end of time. But 
in the position he is to fill, be it servant or otherwise, 
he is a better human being, more efficient ; and he is an 
increasing factor of importance in the economic compo- 
sition of human society. He is needed and has an im- 
portant place to fill, and it is the duty of the white 
man to make him more efficient and reliable in every 
way. 

Raleigh has no large stores or factories. It is just 
an old-fashioned trading town. It is the capital where 
the ''statesmen" congregate to saw out the ''planks" 
for the people to follow and fight for. These statesmen 
have worked hard to house away enough to last to a 
good old age of peace and contentment. This enables 
them to prepare for another world. No one knows 
where that other world is, but if they are "doing well 
here they will do well there. ' ' 

God, no doubt, made Heaven, but he never made 
hell or any such a place. He works on other lines. Now 
suppose He comes and gathers up the good who have 
been buried in the earth and permits the wicked to 
remain just where their fellow men buried them. If 
this be the final disposition of the body, what use is 
there to make another hell and thus use up unnecessary 
space? Just let the wicked remain where they were 
placed on their departure. They will molest no one. 
They have been placed out of sight, and under no 

169 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

circumstances should they be disturbed in their rest and 
final sleep. God, in His infinite goodness, is the last 
one to molest them, disturb them, or make them travel 
to a more wicked place. But it would be loving kind- 
ness in God to come and get you if you have been good 
and deserving, and to house you in a nicer place; and 
this is in harmony with all that we know and see and 
feel. 

Raleigh is a good place to die in. It is rolling and 
quiet. The elevation is good, and this makes the drain- 
age good and drinking water fine. There are worse 
places than Raleigh. The women here are like those in 
most other places in the South, they keep the wrongs, 
including the imaginary ones, green and fresh before 
the living; and they cannot forget the conduct of the 
Yankee when he came into their midst. It is better to 
forgive and forget most wrongs that we suffer during 
life. If we try to remember them, we shall have no 
time for recreation and pleasure. It is sweet to be re- 
membered — ^kindly — even by a foe or enemy, and good 
for the enemy. 

This town has a population of about 25,000, and is 
the capital of North Carolina. Its climate is influenced 
by the Blue Ridge Mountains. 

The central and western sections of this State are 
much superior in variety of production to the eastern 
part. In this respect, it is similar to South Carolina. 

Tobacco and cotton are produced in this portion of 
the State while the eastern part is devoted to truck gar- 
dening, the raising of all kinds of vegetables for the 
New England and Northern markets. In many in- 
stances, they produce two crops a year, owing to the 
mild Winter climate. Spring comes very early. As the 

170 



RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA 

Winters are so short and mild, both of these States could 
make a success of raising all kinds of stock, if the far- 
mers would put their energies into this line of produc- 
tive wealth. But the same trouble that retards Georgia, 
exists in both of these States. There are many owners 
of large tracts of land who, in some instances, do not 
attempt to cultivate it but let it remain, year in and 
year out, unproductive. This is wrong and one of the 
causes of the high cost to the masses for the necessaries 
of life. The poor flock to the cities and try to live on 
a daily wage, with much idleness and wasted energies 
between one period of employment and another. Vacant 
land unused should be heavily taxed, thus forcing the 
owner to cultivate it, and, in the end, sell it in small 
tracts, giving opportunity for the poor of the city to 
start a home in the country. This would better the 
physical, financial and mental condition of the individ- 
ual and at the same time produce a surplus of food for 
the masses, which, in the aggregate, would reduce the 
cost of living necessaries and indirectly reduce the want 
and crime and misery of the poor in our cities. The 
result would be less competition for positions in city 
life. 

The land must be fertilized, however, before it will 
produce anything. Irrigation is not necessary. This 
section of the State has many good trading towns, but 
Raleigh, being the capital, has more politics than busi- 
ness. The main streets and side-walks are wide and in 
fairly good condition. The side streets and side-walks 
are not so good, and are narrow. 

The city was founded February 7, 1795, when the 
State Legislature located its future capital here and laid 
out and governed it by commissioners for many years. 

171 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

The old State House was burned, and the present one 
was erected in 1833. 

The town is now managed by the commission form 
of government which has given very excellent manage- 
ment because of the character of the first commission 
chosen. This commission gave the city more substantial 
public improvements the first three years of its regime 
than the aldermanic government had given in the pre- 
vious twenty years. It is kept fairly clean from every 
viewpoint. It owns its own water works. All other 
public service corporations are owned privately. 

The old town is full of history. In the wars of 1776 
and 1812, its citizens did valiant service for this coun- 
try. It was not unanimous in the Civil War. The State 
joined the Confederacy, but this city had many strong 
and influential supporters of the Union. Of the two 
leading newspapers, one was for and the other against 
the Union. One day the Union paper was destroyed. 
The next day the Confederate paper was destroyed by 
the opposite faction. This feeling accompanied by occa- 
sional disturbances, continued throughout the war. 

The people of Raleigh are very much like the inhab- 
itants of many other Southern cities. The cheap colored 
labor has ruined the white population as a hody, 
causing them to drift into the cities and exploit the 
colored labor both on the farm and in the city. This is 
proper when one can afford it and when he cannot it 
undermines the character of the individual. The white 
people who can live without work would be better off 
if they would do honest toil on the soil. It is pathetic 
to see a white laboring man carrying his working clothes 
wrapped up in a bundle, to be put on when he arrives 
at his destination. Thus he conceals the fact that he 

172 



RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA 

labors. Such actions reveal the fact that such a man is 
not in love with his work; and of course he renders 
poor service, for he is not efficient. This is one in dire 
distress, otherwise the work he is doing would be done 
by a colored man. He wants to be doing clerical work, 
if he works at all; he wants to be a gentleman. He is 
a most courteous and obliging person. He makes an 
effort to please and makes you feel, or wants to make 
you feel, that it is a real pleasure for him to be of some 
service to you. It is delightful hospitality. New Eng- 
land and the North are lacking in these amenities to 
some extent. In fact, the American people are, at 
heart, better than they appear toward strangers, especi- 
ally foreigners. We should, as a nation, cultivate these 
gracious and graceful manners towards others, for the 
good impressions they make whether we mean them 
or not. It costs nothing to be polite, and may bring 
you many returns, with interest, in ways you never 
expected. 

The women are just as gracious as the men, but 
are more patriotic. They have their colored servants 
for everything, and thus they have ample time to polish 
their minds. They are pleasing and entertaining to all 
with whom they may come in contact. They have 
their clubs of every sort, — clubs for preserving relics 
of the Civil War, clubs for erecting monuments to their 
departed heroes, canning clubs, cooking clubs, etc. 
They never fail to instill in the minds of their young 
that the Yankees never whipped their fathers and 
grandfathers in the Civil War, but starved them into 
submission; that they were right then and are right 
now in their conduct towards the colored people; that 
negroes were owned servants then and are subjected 

173 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

servants now; that they are inferior in every way to the 
white race, and should be so treated on all occasions 
and everywhere. The women are almost wholly re- 
sponsible for the political and economic conditions that 
exist there to-day, brought about by the mother's teach- 
ings and conduct in rearing her children and by the 
environments of childhood life in the home. The father 
of to-day has mellowed much from this stand, and has 
a broader view of life and its responsibilities. This 
change has been produced by business relations and 
travel. 

In 1802, Eli Whitney, a Connecticut school teacher, 
whiiC teaching school at Charleston, South Carolina, 
invented the cotton gin. He passed through the town 
and showed the invention to the members of 
the legislature, who purchased the use of it on 
a royalty. Thus one school teacher made good, for the 
machine made the production of cotton profitable and 
brought hundreds of millions to the Southern States. 
It created a demand for thousands of laborers. The 
labor of the colored man, woman and child became 
highly profitable, and there must needs be a great 
struggle to retain the slave in absolute subjection for 
this enormous increased agricultural work. Since that 
time many improvements have been made on the 
machine ; and to-day it is a wonderful contrivance, sep- 
arating the cotton from the seed, with speed and with- 
out waste. 

President Andrew Johnson was born here Decem- 
ber 29, 1808. The house where he was born still 
stands, and is occupied by colored people. His father 
apprenticed him for a tailor. With the assistance of 
an older friend w^ho carried his bundle of clothes to the 

174 



RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA 

edge of town, he ran away to South Carolina and opened 
a shop of his own. He fell in love with a rich man's 
daughter, she was willing, but the father objected. If 
you have ever been truly in love you can appreciate 
how the country appeared to Andrew in that locality. 
He soon pulled up his stakes and visited Raleigh. Then 
in 1826 he located in Greenville, Tennessee, and opened 
a shop. He fell in love again, and this time his suit 
was successful. When he married the young woman, 
he knew little about arithmetic and was unable to 
write. She was his teacher and he proved to be her apt 
and willing pupil. He soon got into politics, was elected 
alderman in his town, arose to State positions, then 
went to Congress, and finally became President of the 
United States. Let no lad say he never had a chance. 
Every boy has a chance if he has eyes to see and ears 
to hear and is willing to pay the price, hard work and 
close application. The same is true of girls. In this 
day of public schools, cheap books and free libraries, 
ignorance is a disgrace regardless of age or conditions. 
No one can be too poor to learn and cultivate the mind, 
and, like money loaned on interest, intelligent study 
and close application in any line will bring their re- 
ward. 

The city has a bonded debt of one and a quarter 
millions. The tax levy is one and a quarter. The city 
is not a bad tourist point, for it has some good hotels 
and the climate seldom goes near zero. 

The public market is not a success. The city charges 
too much for the space. It has a large enclosure mostly 
vacant. Cheap rent is essential to bring producers to 
a public market to sell; and a large market giving a 
good selection will bring the consumers. 

175 



THP] SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

Speaking of the higli cost of living, I found in a 
city library a little book which gave the prices of nec- 
essaries in 1842. Here are some of them: A dozen 
needles $.25, a bandana handkerchief $1.25, a muslin 
handkerchief $.70, a yard of broadcloth $7.00, a pound 
of pepper $.70, a pair of cotton hose $1.40, one dozen 
pewter plates $4.50, a pound of Hyson tea $2.50, a 
yard of linen $.70, a pound of gun powder $1.00, a 
pound of shot $.15, brown sugar $.15 a pound, coffee $.25 
a pound, flour $6.00 a barrel, molasses $.60 a pound, 
candles $.05 each. Nails were sold by numbers, not 
by the pound, that is, fifty ten penny nails for $.15. 
Postage in 1827 was from 6 to 25 cents, owing to the 
distance the letter was to be carried. These were high 
prices. Living expenses can often be materially reduced 
by reducing your wants. We can do without many things 
if we really make an effort to do so, and thus be happy. 

All told, eleven States, only, left the Union. This 
State went out May 20, 1861; and this town surrend- 
ered to Sherman's Army April 12, 1865, General Lee 
having surrendered to General Grant April 9, 1865. 
About the same time General Joseph E. Johnston sur- 
rendered to Sherman. He treated the people of Raleigh 
nicely, as they caused him no inconvenience or trouble. 

This town of Raleigh, located on a beautiful site 
surrounded by a good country, has been making slow 
progress for it is like most capital towns, pestered by 
politics and shunned by business enterprises. This 
makes it largely a residential place, and it has some 
beautiful homes in the new additions outside of the city 
proper. It will always remain so, — a good place for old 
men and women and babies, quiet and serene with but 
little fast driving. 

176 



ATLANTA, GEORGIA 



Atlanta, Georgia 

IN CUSTOM and spirit, this city resembles a North- 
ern or New England city more than any other 
Southern city. This is so because many of the 
Northern people have moved here and established them- 
selves in all lines of business. They give the city much of 
its push and energy. They have brought here what the 
Southern people call ' ^ pep ' ' — the spirit of activity and 
energ3^ that leads to practical results. This spirit is not 
only generated for their own enterprises, but goes out 
to boost the city in every way possible. 

It has had great growth in the past few years and 
now claims a population of 200,000 people. If it has 
not that many now, it will have in the near future. 
Yet, with all this, there is an element in the city that 
fails to come forward and do its part. This element 
possesses the characteristic southern way of doing things. 
It is procrastinating and indifferent and says by its 
actions, ''Let George do it." 

The streets are poorly paved and poorly kept. The 
side-walks are narrow. Apparently they were laid 
shortly after the Revolution and have been patched 
and repaired so often since that time that they are un- 
even and consist of many different kinds of designs 
and materials. They now look old and rusty. 

The cit}^ is not growing quite so fast now. There 
are many vacant business rooms, yet rent on the good 
streets is very higli. In the residential section, how- 
ever, rents are not unreasonable. 

It has nearly three thousand factories, they are 
mostly small, yet there is a steel plant that employs 

177 
12 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

nearly 1,500 men. It has no very large business houses, 
although some are creditable to the town. The 
hotel accommodations are good. There are a few 
good apartment houses. The old fashioned home pre- 
vails here. Hence there are many good looking men and 
fine looking women, — a condition which comes from 
being well housed, well fed and well clothed. In the 
growing of fine people this is just as essential as is 
the raising of fine stock on the farm. You cannot stunt 
animal life in any manner and get good results. Em- 
ployers of labor are just beginning to understand this, 
so they have begun to look after the welfare of their 
men in every way, insisting on those things that will 
make them a greater producing unit of wealth. 

The town is rolling, and this makes the drainage an 
easy problem. The water supply comes from a river 
about six miles away, and is properly treated and good. 
The city is a healthy town and a pleasant place to live, 
the temperature seldom touching zero in the winter. 

What makes any town or State is the character of 
the people inhabiting it. The soil and local economic 
and climatic conditions affect the character of the people 
in any community. 

Georgia has a rich, sandy cla.y soil, not over three 
or four inches thick in many parts of the State. The 
farmers have raised one crop, cotton, on the same soil 
until it is exhausted and nothing can be grown. The 
boll weevil is causing a revolution in the methods of 
farming. It has driven the farmers to the raising of 
grain and stock, and this, in time, will add materially 
to the wealth of the State, provided farming conditions 
are improved. 

At the present time, only a small percentage of the 

178 



ATLANTA, GEORGIA 

State is under cultivation. A few individuals own 
enormous tracts of land, — sometimes as much as 
50,000 or 100,000 acres. This unequal distribution of 
the land forces a tenancy instead of ownership of 
land in the State, so that seventy per cent of the far- 
mers are tenants at the best. Many evils naturally be- 
come associated with an excess of landlords and tenants, 
because the tenant does not and cannot have the same 
pride and interest in farming that he would have if he 
were owner instead of tenant. The State will not make 
great strides in agriculture until, by wholesome laws, 
it increases the number of owners of the land and the 
area farmed. 

Colored people are largely the tenants. The colored 
man does not show the same intense application to his 
task that a New England farmer does. This is natural, 
for he is only a tenant and not so well educated, and 
is often swindled out of much of w^hat he does produce. 
Why should he not become restless and indifferent to 
work? He is underfed, underpaid and swindled out of 
his profits, in addition to his civil rights. What else 
could we expect from him? He knows that he is not 
receiving his just rewards. He is helpless, — without 
money and without knowledge. He is daily reminded 
that his color causes a prejudice against him and that 
go where he will, he cannot overcome the stigma placed 
upon him because he once was a slave. So he submits 
humbly to his lot, and is a kind, peaceable citizen trust- 
ing in the Lord to make things right somewhere in some 
place at some future time. 

This is the condition of the colored man since he 
began to plan for himself. If he obtains enough money 
to buy a piece of land, you can never purchase it from 

179 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

him, for he never sells. You may induce him to mort- 
gage it and deprive him of his employment and steal it 
in this way from him by sharp practices, but he will 
never part with it by bargain and sale. Many now owii 
their homes and farms and cultivate them. Pay the 
colored man a decent wage, and he will work and save 
fully as well as the white man. 

In many places in the South he is in the majority. 
On every hand he is seeking book knowledge for himself 
and his children. The schooling the Southern States 
are furnishing the colored people is causing an unrest 
among the younger generation. They are getting a 
broader knowledge of life and its duties. They are 
longing in their hearts for better conditions, more liberty 
and justice, better protection in their rights. This is 
why the colored man is leaving the South and going into 
new fields that he has heard about and read about in 
books. The schools of the South are lifting them out 
of ignorance and slavery into better, more industrious 
citizenship. 

America has about ten millions of colored people, 
and they are of the servant class. What would America 
do without this great body of laborers producing wealth 
in all lines? What would the South do without them? 
They do all the hard work. As a tenant, he raises sub- 
stantially all the cotton, and the result of his hard work 
is only a living for himself and family. Hence the more 
equal distribution of the colored people over America 
will result in good to all. It will increase the colored 
man's wages and elevate him as a citizen to the extent 
of protecting him in some of his rights and according 
him justice in his share of the rewards of his labor. The 
colored man is a great imitator. He watches the white 

180 



ATLANTA, GEORGIA 

man at his work and, by himself, tries to execute the 
same thing. In this way he has learned many of the 
trades, and follows them in all parts of the South. In 
all his trials and troubles he sings the colored melodies, 
sleeps soundly and thinks not of the future; for he is 
very religious, docile and considerate, and feels kindly 
toward all for what he gets. In this way he lives peace- 
ably and on the best of terms with the Southern whites. 
A Southern white mother is ostracized if she cares for 
her own child, so the colored maid becomes her servant 
on small pay. The colored women fare just the same as 
their fathers and brothers. Even in this day, the colored 
people in South Carolina are substantially slaves. It 
is not so much so in the other Southern States. 

The Southern white man is a creature of habits. He 
is great on pedigree, on ancestry, on systems, on habits, 
and on traditions. This is why it is so hard to eliminate 
the tick from the cattle or inaugurate reforms. Georgia 
is one of the most progressive among the Southern States, 
yet in som.e portions of the State the farmers fight bitter- 
ly against the installation of the vat and resent being 
forced to dip their cattle to kill the tick. It is some- 
thing new. It is a change from the old custom of letting 
their cattle run free as rangers on the unfenced land. 
They fight fencing the land in the open because it 
destroys a custom. In other words, you have to 
hit a Southern white man on the head to get a new 
idea driven into his brain. Of course this does not 
apply to all. Yet the Southern man, if he thinks favor- 
ably of you, is most courteous and obliging, gen- 
erous and cordial. As a gentleman, he is glad to 
introduce you to his wife and daughters, and woe un- 
to you if you fail to prove yourself, on all occasions, 

181 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

a gentleman ''of honor." He is high tempered and 
quick to resent a slight, but will quickly forgive if a 
sincere apology is tendered. He tries to be a gentle- 
man and, being a gentleman, he should work as little 
as possible. 

All this chivalry and the peculiar habits and cus- 
toms of the whites come from slave life and slave in- 
fluences on the dominant race at that period of its exis- 
tence when characters were being molded into manhood 
and womanhood ; and those influences have been passed 
on to subsequent generations and will continue to influ- 
ence them to a certain degree until the white population 
becomes accustomed to honest labor. This condition 
will be brought about by the equal distribution of the 
colored servant population throughout the United States. 

About thirty per cent of the land is cultivated at 
present, yet fruits and vegetables in large quantities 
are produced. All its apples are shipped in, and there 
is no reason why it should not grow its own apples. 

Much of the progress in Georgia is due to the activit}^ 
of the women. They have numerous clubs and federa- 
tions. They organize and maintain schools in the moun- 
tains, schools for the poor and ignorant mountaineers. 
In 1917, a young girl walked thirty-five miles in the 
timber and knocked at the door for admission, that she 
might receive the benefits of the school's instruction. 
She was in her teens, working in the fields of her father's 
mountain ranch. This work, taken up by the club 
women, is becoming extensive and far reaching. Educa- 
tion is to the human mind what cultivation is to vegeta- 
ble life. It causes growth and development for untold, 
good. In ten years the women alone will make Georgia 
a new and different State. 

182 



ATLANTA, GEORGIA 

Separate high schools are maintained for boys and 
girls. There is also a commercial high school where 
both attend. There are four private colleges for girls 
and one extensive technical school for boys. The whole 
State is reaching out in an educational way and one 
cannot work in these lines and not be well rewarded in 
a finer, better and richer citizenship. All honor to the 
women for their persistent efforts. 



183 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 



Knoxville, Tennessee 

I WAS glad to get out of Chattanooga because of the 
excessive smoke and dirt, but this city surpasses 
all others in which I have ever been, including 
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The air is so saturated with 
smoke that my eyes were smarting all the time I was 
away from the hotel. A blackness hovers over the city 
continually. 

The town i)roper has a population of about 
40,000 inhabitants. An effort is being made to annex 
the suburbs before the next census, and it is stated 
that if this is done they will have fully 100,000 
people residing in this locality. It is well located 
and has many good business houses and factories; but 
nearly all the factories are located within or near the 
city limits with their smoke stacks belching volumes of 
dense smoke in every direction. To add to the pleasure 
of the inhabitants the railroads run through the heart 
of the cit}^ ; and the engines never cease, day and night, 
to add their share of smoke. One can smell smoke every- 
where and taste and eat it in his sleep. 

This is all brought about because Tennessee has an 
abundance of iron ore, coal, copper, lead, zinc, limestone 
and other minerals. Coal and iron ore gave Pennsyl- 
vania its start toward accumulating its great wealth. 
The State of Tennessee is just starting, and it will be, in 
time, one of the richest States in the South. Many of its 
small towns have manufacturing plants, Cleveland has 
large lumber and coal interests and London has the 
same. At Lenoir City, the Southern Railway has esta- 
blished extensive machine shops, where it has built many 

184 



KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE 

of its cars, including the making of their parts, for it 
has extensive foundries in connection therewith. In 
man}^ towns over the State, ranging from 1,000 to 
6,000 inhabitants, you will find large knitting, 
cotton and woolen mills employing thousands, mostly 
women. 

The State is getting a series of fine public highways 
running in every direction. It has limestone every- 
where ; and large stone crushing plants are in operation 
making material for the building of public highways. 
The crushed stone is mixed with concrete and prison 
labor is used for doing the work. The roads are fine, 
and Tennessee is showing progress in every direction. 
It is the most progressive of the Southern States. 

The western part produces the cotton; the middle 
part produces the limestone, fruits and vegetables; and 
the eastern part produces the minerals and timber. 
Saw-mills are thick. Tennessee marble is famous; and, 
in season, she sends hundreds of cars of strawberries to 
the Northern markets. Other fruits are also sold in 
large quantities. In the agricultural section, her far- 
mers diversify their crops. They are trying to catch 
up with the times. Good farm houses and outbuildings, 
with a silo near by, are seen in every direction. They 
are beginning to produce poultry, butter and cheese. 
The little town of Morristown, with a population of only 
6,000, ships on an average of four cars of poultry a 
week. 

Now what has all this activity brought about? The 
advancement of farm land. Good farms, with average 
improvements, are selling at from one hundred to two 
hundred dollars an acre according to the location. 
Even mountain sides where you would slide off, bring 

185 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

in some cases, as much as twenty-five dollars an acre. 
These are utilized as stock farms. 

And this is not all. Such activity is increasing unrest 
intellectual 1}^, and progress is seen in this direction. As 
one meets people in the country and in the cities, he 
notices in their faces more intelligence, more force, 
more alertness, and more expression than is seen in the 
masses of many other Southern States. This gives evi- 
dence that the educational advantages in the State are 
being enlarged and placed within reach of the people, 
especially the poor. One sees little colored boys and 
girls with bright, cheerful faces carrying their books to 
and from school. 

Many Southern States are two generations behind 
the Northern and New England States. This means 
educationall}' and commercially. No people can ad- 
vance commercially^ until the State has properly educat- 
ed its units, its citizens, the masses. Ignorance lives in 
the past, and the fruit of ignorance is prejudice, crime, 
disease, poverty and distress. 

But the foreign war is lifting the Southern States 
from the "slough of despond" onto a higher plane, 
where they are beholding a new vision. Labor is scarce. 
Factories and railroads are advertising for laborers. 
Everything a farmer raises is going up in a balloon in 
price. The shops and factories are raising wages and 
reducing a day of labor to eight liours ; this is attract- 
ing farm hands to the cities. Some farmers are getting 
desperate, and are offering from one dollar to a dollar 
and a lialf a day with the usual privileges. They will 
be driven to farm with machinery operated by steam and 
gasoline. 

Now has not the eight-hour day and the increase 

186 



KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE 

of the factory wage per day done as much to increase 
the high cost of living as the foreign war? If this is 
true, have we not weakened our power to resist, when 
the war ceases, the competition and efficiency of foreign 
countries? We have reduced the hours per day, in- 
creased the wages of our laborers over foreign labor, 
and at the same time reduced the farmer's capacity to 
produce a sufficient quantity of food. It seems to me 
that there must be and that there is going to be some 
kind of a readjustment all along the line. If so, some- 
one will be caught, and it will be the party who wants 
much and refuses to surrender little. 

Strange as it may seem, with work so abundant, 
wages so good and living so high, you will observe many 
colored men idle, and m-diiy of the poor white trash, 
too. Some men, and women too, are constitutionally 
opposed to work. Here is where universal military 
training — with the hoe and shovel — might be a god- 
send. The percentage of idleness in this section is very 
large. One Swede told me that many men got married 
and permitted their wives to support them by taking in 
washing, and that sometimes two or more families pooled 
their expenses and lived in the same hut. The warmer 
the climate, the more this is done, and the more idleness 
you see. 

Odd as it may seem, not many Jews are in business 
outside of Memphis and Nashville. I thought this 
strange, and made inquiries as to the cause, but no 
one could tell. It is a rare exception to see a Jewish 
traveling man. All commercial travelers are Gentiles. 
A son of an old merchant told me two good stories of 
occurrences in Chattanooga many years ago. One day 
a Russian Jew^Abe — gave this young man's father a 

187 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

letter of introduction from a New York City house, 
requesting him to let Abe have all the notions he had 
to a certain amount and stating that it would stand 
good for the same as Abe was going to peddle. The 
deal was closed and Abe started out. When he returned 
the third time to replenish his stock, the merchant asked 
him what profit he was making. Abe told him four 
per cent. The merchant said to him: ''You cannot 
make a living on such a profit as that." Then Abe 
explained. He said, ''Vat I buy for one dollar, I &ell 
for four dollars. ' ' The merchant told him he had made 
a mistake, for he ought to have him behind his counter. 
Later, Abe made the acquaintance of a priest who 
was always in debt because he was no financier. Abe 
loaned him money at different times, and the amount 
got so large that he thought he ought to insist on some 
securit}^ Abe asked for security, and the priest said 
he had none. Abe insisted that he had some symbols 
in his church work of solid gold. The priest admitted 
he had a figure of Christ with diamonds in his eyes. Abe 
insisted on having that. The priest refused, because 
he needed it for his Sunday services. Abe told him he 
must bring it, stating that he would loan it to the priest 
over Sunday and then it must be returned to him on 
Monday morning. The priest consented, but he got 
nervous and by Saturday night raised the money he 
owed Abe and called to pay him off and get his statue. 
" Sure," said Abe, and he brought it forth. The priest 
examined it and said, "Abe, is this the same Christ I 
let you have?" "Sure," said Abe. "But what has 
become of his eyes?" said the priest. And Abe ans- 
\yered, "Wliy, f adder, do you tinks that Christ could 
live a whole week with a Jew and not cry his eyes out?" 

188 



KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE 

Abe may have started the Jews in wrong, but as 
prosperity broadens they will be here in time. Money 
is flowing into the State now from all channels, and if 
the war continues two or three years longer the people 
will have money to loan and to make internal improve- 
ments of a permanent nature. 



189 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 



Columhia, South Carolina 

THE traveler leaves Asheville with pleasant memo- 
ries, for it is 2,288 feet above sea level, and has 
fine air and beautiful scenery in every direc- 
tion. The Northern and New England tourists keep 
this town, and in their absence business is dull. There 
is a Jew who is hardly able to write his name, only a 
junk dealer. He is bold and handles everything*. Be- 
fore the war he dealt in hides to some extent, and he 
felt a pressure from the tanneries for more hides be- 
cause of the war. So he began to reach out and buy 
more hides. He sent buyers into the adjoining States, 
and his business grew to enormous proportions. One 
of his friends told me that the man's profits would 
reach close to $500,000 this year. This only illustrates 
that ''diamonds are all around you," regardless, often, 
of 3^our location, if you only get the "feelings" and 
can see clearly. Many Jews are here. 

Hendersonville is only sixteen miles away. It, too, 
is located in the mountains and is quite a tourist point 
for Southern people. It has a population of about 
6,000 and entertains from 5,000 to 10,000 tourists 
every j^ear. 

North Carolina has about two and one-half millions 
of people, near] 3^ a million more than South Carolina. 
It has more good trading towns than any other South- 
ern State. In population, these townis range from 
2,000 or 3,000 and up to 50,000 people. The State has 
only two minerals, mica and aluminum. It has some 
timber. You would naturally ask what business sus- 
tains the towns. The greatest business interests are 

190 



COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA 

in connection with cotton, rice and tobacco. This is 
trne of Hig-hpoint, Thomasville, Greensboro, Lexington, 
Gastoria, Reedsville, Dnrham and Charlotte. Having 
no coal, the factories in these towns depend on power- 
plants erected along* its rivers. These produce hydro- 
electric currents and distribute the same to all points 
on a reasonable basis. The truth is, the foreign war is 
making a new class of millionaires — cotton mill million- 
aires. They are running their factories day and night 
and are getting for their products prices of which they 
never dreamed. They are unable to realize the situa- 
tion. One man told me they were simply dazed at the 
volume of money being accumulated in their bank ac- 
counts. When 3^ou realize that some of these towns have 
five, ten, fifteen, twenty or more cotton factories with 
their machinery in action day and night and with 
thousands employed at good wages, you will have 
visions of the new South of the future. 

At Spartanburg, with a population of 15,000 
people, the two Spartan mills, alone, employ be- 
tween 3,000 and 4,000 people; and besides these 
there are the knitting mills and other cotton factories. 
Factories making cheap furniture are located ever}-- 
where. All of us have seen, in fields, on barns and in 
newspapers, that magnificent animal. Bull Durham. It 
is here at Durham, North Carolina, that he starts on 
his journey around the world. 

Cotton, cotton mills and the colored people are all 
one, the latter being the foundation upon which all this 
prosperity rests. The white people do the managing 
and the selling, and the colored people do all the hard 
work, from the time the cotton is planted until it is 
converted into cloth. You see father, mother, brother, 

191 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

sister and the pickaninnies in the fields plowing, culti- 
vating and picking. Some have baskets and others have 
big gunny sacks tied to the body, and they go along 
the rows plucking the white bunches from the hull. 
When the plant is matured, this hull opens and the 
white cotton protrudes. In the center of each boll is 
the nut, which contains from three to six seeds. The 
cotton which adheres to the nut is started to the gin 
mill, where the long fiber is removed. The short fibers 
still adhere to the nut, and this is called lint. It then 
goes to another machine and the lint is removed. This 
is shorter than the first fiber removed and inferior to 
it in quality. It is used for packing, etc. Then the 
nut is crushed and ground into powder called meal or 
made into cake. The seeds are treated for the oil they 
contain, and the oil is used in many waj^s. It is used 
for cooking, and for making soap and many other things, 
among them being a "sure cure" for consumption. It 
is cheaper than lard. The Southern people are not 
great meat eaters. They are vegetarians, although they 
eat some fowl and fish. They have rice twice a day. 
So you see there is need of but few cattle and hogs in 
either of these States. 

But to raise good cotton requires much work and 
care. The ground must be fertilized, and the stalks 
must be thinned out, plowed four or five times, and 
kept as free of weeds as a garden. There are three 
pickings from each crop, as the buds bloom at different 
periods. The first picking is the best. Colored people 
are paid about fifty cents for each hundred pounds 
they pick, or twelve dollars a month and board, if hired 
by the month. The higher wages offered by the North 
and by New England are worrying the Southern people ; 

192 



COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA 

and the Southern employers have been forced to raise 
wages in the mills, on the plantations and in many 
other lines of employment. The South would be help- 
less without the negroes; and owing to the scarcity of 
labor caused by the foreign war, the colored people 
will receive great benefits financially, socially, polit- 
ically and educationally. Life will be made more at- 
tractive to them in the South, so that they may be con- 
tented to remain as servants. 

This brings us to Columbia, the capital of South 
Carolina, a beautiful city with wide, well paved streets. 
It is only 350 feet above sea level, and is located just 
on the edge of the Blue Mountain Range which gradu- 
ally fades into a more level country, as you near the 
Atlantic Ocean. It has good business houses, good ho- 
tels, beautiful shade trees and fine homes. 

It is a very old town, being founded in 1790. The 
first legislature met here in 1791, so its people were at 
the front in the exciting times of 1776. 

At least three-fourths of it was burned on Febru- 
ary 17, 1865, when General W. T. Sherman was re- 
turning from his " march to the sea." To-day, it has 
a population of 50,000 and its cotton and knitting 
mills are going night and day. In considering its 
present prosperity, you would not think it had met with 
such a misfortune only fifty- two years ago. Sherman 
took Atlanta, then Savannah and then Columbia. It 
is charged that from Savannah to Columbia, his army 
took all the horses, cattle, hogs and poultry, and that 
it burned the buildings, the timber that produced the 
resin and turpentine, the cotton gins, the presses, and 
the factories. It is said that his army could be traced 
by smoke by day and by the glare of fire by night. 

193 

13 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

Sherman had close to 75,000 men, and there were not 
to exceed 20,000 Confederates in the whole State. 
Hampton's cavalry occupied Columbia. He ordered hun- 
dreds of bales of cotton piled up in the main street to be 
burned if necessary, so that it would not fall into the 
hands of Sherman; but learning that the railroad was 
destroj^ed and that the cotton could not be removed, 
he vacated the city on the morning of the seventeenth 
with all fires out, so claimed, except the depot, and that 
under control. Sherman and his army marched in. 
During the day the cotton caught fire, no one knows 
how, and that night the conflagration extended every- 
where. Sherman accused Hampton of ordering that 
the town be burned, and Hampton accused Sherman 
and his army of the destruction of the city. For many 
years thereafter this question was argued by the friends 
of the opposing forces, and there it rests to-day. Each 
feels that the other is guilty. The fire brought great 
distress to the people. The city had been, in a measure, 
headquarters to the Confederacy. Seventy-five thou- 
sand Confederate soldiers were treated at the wayside 
hospital located here. The women moulded bullets for 
the soldiers and were very active in every way. 

All this is not fully forgotten, but is fast fading into 
the past, even with the natives. It is well it should 
be so. 



194 



CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA 



Charleston, South Carolina 

THE South does uot feel any too kindly towards 
either the Northern or New England people. 
Sometimes you will hear it said that back of 
their manifested kindness and courtesy towards you, in 
your presence, is a sting of criticism, at least in feeling 
if not, at times, in action or words. 

They assert that New England was the successor to 
Great Britain in the capture of the black barbarians of 
Africa to be exported as servant slaves; and that find- 
ing the New England climate too severe to make the 
business profitable, the Yankees sold them to the South- 
ern planters and raisers of cotton and received the cold 
cash in return. They were profitable to the South and 
their numbers increased with the enlargement of the 
raising of cotton. The South was patient and kind to 
them, and in time, instructed and trained them to be- 
come efficient servants. Then New England became 
humanitarian and religious over the subject of slaves 
and began a nation-wide agitation for their freedom, 
although still retaining the money for their sale to the 
South. In the end the people of the South lost their 
money and then the negroes. Then New England tried 
to force upon the South political and social equality 
between former master and slave. This the South re- 
garded as the unkindest cut of all. 

The past year, the commercial interests of New Eng- 
land had agents in different parts of the South so- 
liciting both colored men and women to migrate to 
New England as laborers in the homes, factories and 
mines. It is estimated that Charleston alone has lost 

195 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

10,000 colored people in the past year, and they are still 
migrating. This was brought about by the European 
war, which has created an abnormal condition, in the 
scarcity of labor and a corresponding increase in wages. 

The housing of the colored people in the South is 
bad. They are located in settlements, or communities, 
on the plantation as of old. A shack about ten by sixteen 
feet is built with one door, and with openings for win- 
dows to be closed by small board doors. In this home 
are housed father, mother and all the children, whether 
one or a half dozen. One small room must answer for 
parlor, dining room, kitchen, bedroom and all other 
kind of uses required of a home. The monotonj^ of 
life is broken b.y putting them in settlements. They 
visit and see each other, and this is the social element 
of their life, — an element which animals of every kind 
require. But think of the efficiency and moral stand- 
ard created and promulgated under such conditions! 
It is a life of poverty in all its phases. They say that 
this method is absolutely necessary to keep the colored 
people under control. They aim to keep them always 
in debt and to see that they receive as little money as 
possible at one time, for if they had enough to get out 
of the neighborhood, they would leave. 

They assert that too much education is injurious 
to the colored man, for it makes him a loafer instead 
of a laborer. If he is educated, he aspires to do the 
white man's work, or the clerical part. A large per- 
centage of the present generation of colored people 
are truly loafers. You see them everywhere. How- 
over, many are industrious ; and these are making prog- 
ress, buying homes and farm land and depositing money 
in savings institutions. 

196 



CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA 

Charleston has a debt of four and one half millions, 
and taxes and living expenses are high. If the owner 
of improved realty makes repairs and paints up, the 
assessor increases his taxes ; and that is one of the rea- 
sons why Charleston looks so old and neglected. Being 
surrounded by neglect, squalor, darkness and gloom, 
depresses the people intellectually, commercially and 
socially. Brightness and cheerfulness would make them 
smile and push forward in every way. 

The city has many churches located in the business 
district, with small cemeteries surrounding them. In- 
side, in front of the pulpits and chancels, in times gone 
by, they buried some of their heroes and loved ones un- 
der the floor, and placed marble slabs over their bodies 
with suitable inscriptions. Iron fences, with big gates, 
inclose both the churches and the cemeteries adjoining 
them. Thus they worship with the living and the dead. 
A few wander among the tombstones, especially the old- 
er women; and then they enter the church to see and 
worship God while their thoughts are on the departed. 
Some of the churches are very old. Saint Michaels 
was started in 1761 and St. Andrews long before that. 
Both are Episcopalian churches. The women look after 
the churches, the heroes and the distinguished dead. 
They make it their business to erect monuments to all 
worthy individuals and causes. 

In 1769, a monument was erected for William Pitt 
for his efforts in getting the Stamp Act repealed by 
Parliament. In 1780, the British, in attacking the city, 
shot an arm off the statue; and in 1789, the monument 
was restored. Henry Timrod, the South 's beloved poet, 
has a monument near by. At the Batter}^, Sims, the 
State's novelist, is likewise remembered; and to the 

197 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

heroes of the Revolution and defenders of Fort Moult- 
rie, located on Sullivan's Island, the Battery has a fine 
monument with the names of the defenders. This 
monument is mounted with a life-sized statue in bronze 
of the hero and loved son of the State, Sergeant William 
Jasper. The British fired a shot that hit the staff of 
the flag, and it fell outside of the fort. The youth 
cried out, ''Colonel, don't let us fight without a flag," 
and over he went returning with the stars and stripes 
and holding the flag in position until a new staff was 
brought to relieve him. Subsequently, he did other 
heroic acts. The whereabouts of his grave is ''un- 
known"; but Southern women never let such acts or 
such lives be forgotten, even if the graves are unknown. 
They were not satisfied with the monument erected in 
the Citadel to John C. Calhoun, so it was replaced by 
a tall shaft of granite and bronze, with a bronze statue 
surmounting all. This monument stands where all can 
behold it, a memorial to the man who led them, above 
all others, to lose and suffer much in blood and trea- 
sure. 

On December 20, 1860, South Carolina, first and 
alone, left the Union, soon to be followed by Florida. 
Little did they dream what the future had in store 
for them. Their statesman and former leader, John C. 
Calhoun, passed away in 1850. 

Major Anderson, on the night of December 27, 1860, 
left Fort Moultrie and took charge of Fort Sumter, 
commanding the entrance to Charleston Harbor. They 
began action and fired upon the flag floating over the 
fort; in due time. Major Anderson surrendered; and 
thus began the Civil War, a war which lasted over 
four years and cost millions of dollars, thousands of 

198 



CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA 

lives, wounds that have not yet healed and losses not 
yet regained. 

While the little fort, containing not over an acre, 
was being bombarded, the citizens of Charleston by the 
thousands stood around the Battery and watched the 
shells, and the smoke rising from the fort as it was 
struck — watched the shots that roused a whole nation. 
The Battery is a park to-day abutting Charleston 
harbor, and surrounding the Battery, or park, are the 
old palatial homes of the rich and once influential citi- 
zens of Charleston and the State. Even to-day these 
homes are magnificent in their stately bearing, filled 
with tapestries, rugs, rare and expensive furniture, 
and oil paintings. These homes with their spacious 
rooms occupy lots as large as hotels, and in the days of 
old there were servants for every one and every thing. 
The masters lived like kings. Their riches made them 
bold, brave and haughty; and thus we see pride going 
before destruction. 

These men made their fortunes from cotton and 
cheap labor. They were defending and trying to pro- 
tect their possessions. Nearly all have passed away 
and their children and relatives who still live are scat- 
tered. Some of these fine homes are fashionable board- 
ing houses with all the old furnishings intact. When 
one sees what they had and how they lived, he is not 
surprised at the attitude they took. To them, all was 
about to be lost. 

Many changes have taken place since then. Fort 
Sumter has a new brick wall above high water mark. 
New modern disappearing guns are stationed on the 
fort and there are three or four men as care-takers. 
Fort Moultrie, two miles away, is the main defense 

199 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

now. It is on Sullivan's Island, which is about ten 
miles long and one mile wide. It is well fortified, and 
old armament is being replaced with modern. As this 
is war time, I can give no details. Numbers of j^oung 
men in the coast artillery defense are stationed here. 
The Island is nothing but a shoal and is subject to over- 
flow. The government propertj^ is protected, however, 
from ordinary high water. 

Charleston is about eight miles from the ocean, and 
is located on a strip of land, between two rivers, the 
Cooper River on one side and the Ashley River on the 
other. The harbor has a depth of twenty-eight feet 
at low water. Sullivan's Island is about seven miles 
from Charleston, and commands the entrance from the 
ocean to the harbor. 

Many islands are along the coast. Morris Island 
contained the Confederate battery during the attack 
on Fort Sumter, in connection with gunboats. The 
siege lasted for five hundred and sixty-seven dsiys, 
before the Confederates surrendered. Morris Island 
is now the United States quarantine station. James 
and St. Johns Islands are near by. These islands now 
produce sea island cotton, the best that grows. This 
cotton has a fibre about one and one-half inch long. 
It is very fine and soft in texture, and is worked into 
imitation silk. It brings from three to four times the 
prices paid for upland cotton. It is grown only within 
the bounds of the salt air from the sea. Upland cotton 
has a fibre from one-half inch to an inch long, and is 
coarser in texture. Upland cotton is now also used in 
the manufacturing of automobile tires. 

About twenty-five years ago, phosphate of lime was 
discovered near this city, in inexhaustible quantities. 

200 



CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA 

Since then several large concerns have been organized 
to manufacture carbonic acid and fertilizers, and all 
are doing a fine business and prospering. 

Miles and miles of waste land exist around Char- 
leston, for want of enterprise and development. It 
has to be drained and fertilized in order to yield any 
crops. Notwithstanding this, many persons, some for- 
eigners, have met the conditions and are raising truck 
garden foods on a large scale. About twelve thou- 
sand car-loads a year are produced within a short dis- 
tance from the city and sent away to the large cities 
in the North and along the coast, by ships and trains. 
Colored people do all the work. 

When a body of them of all ages and sizes gets into 
a field hoeing or pulling weeds, they remind one of a 
flock of black birds in a corn patch. One German is 
doing business on a very large scale. This year he had 
one hundred acres of cabbage. They produce from 
three to four crops a year from the same land. 

It is odd to see two industries which are located 
here, an asbestos plant that gets its raw material from 
Canada, and the American Bagging Company, that 
gets its material from India. Out of jute, it makes 
the bagging that binds the cotton bales. 

Of all the Southern cities this one stands alone, 
unique in its individual it}^ and a typical city of the 
South. It is old and rusty in every way. Even the 
main business streets have not seen any paint, from all 
appearance, for a generation. 

The Huguenots started this city in the j^ear 1562, 
This was forty-five years before the English located 
in Virginia, fifty-two years before the Dutch began 
the building of the city of New York, and fifty-eight 

201 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

years before the Puritans started Massachusetts on the 
road to fame. Many things have occurred since those 
eventful periods in the history of the American people. 
Look at the race each of these settlements has made, 
and consider the line of action, intellectual, religious 
and political which each promulgated and bequeathed 
to the future. Early teachings, youthful aspirations 
and surroundings, do shape and direct the human 
mind into pure, clear channels from which flow whole- 
some, helpful and uplifting influences, or into shallow, 
impure water which represses and retards human action 
and human progress in every way. 

To-day, Charleston has a population of about 65,- 
000 people, and fully 35,000 of them are members of 
the colored race. Of course, this creates the same 
conditions in municipal affairs that exist in the State. 
Some communities are almost wholly inhabited by 
colored people. The truth is, there are no political 
parties in the South. The line of division is in races, 
the white against the black; and there is no other 
political division. In the struggle for supremacy, 
one must yield to the domination of the other, or 
conflicts resulting in bloodshed must be the result, 
for amalgamation of the two races is unthinkable and 
impossible. Because of the constitutional differences 
such a thing will never happen until the end of time. 
So we have the blacks submitting to the whites, the 
master and the servant. .One gives the order and the 
other obeys. A physical working relation, only, exists, 
and this glides along peacefully and with apparent 
harmony, for justice and equity never arise, and are 
not considered. In the division of rewards between 
capital and labor, profits are placed on one side and 

202 



CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA 

living on the other, and all seem to be satisfied. ' ' Where 
ignorance is bliss, 't is folly to be wise. ' ' 

The whites have had to defend the city on many 
occasions. In 1669 the Spaniards and the French 
undertook to capture the city, and it was successfully 
defended. Then in 1779 the British attacked the town, 
and in 1780 they captured it, took possession, and held 
it for two years, when they surrendered to the natives. 
So you see the city began early to fight those w^ho at- 
tempted to disturb the people in their possessions, and 
it has been a good fighter, too. 

Its ambitions to grow started early, for it organized 
a chamber of commerce in 1774 and the same organi- 
zation is still doing business. It started a public lib- 
rary in 1698 and still maintains it. It was in advance 
of all the other colonies in taking steps for independ- 
ence. In 1765 it urged the union of all colonies, and 
in 1774 went so far as to form an independent govern- 
ment by adopting a constitution. In March, 1776, and 
on June 28, 1776, the British attacked it and besieged 
the town. So you see South Carolina was awake and 
at the front in all the preliminary steps to bring about 
the independence of the American colonies. 

She had sent her young men to England to be 
educated, and they returned saturated with the English 
ways and customs and with all the aristrocracy that 
wealth and position could create. The frequent mili- 
tary and political contests made heroes of many of the 
young men. Their successes created a distinguished 
ancestry which, in turn, caused the "family tree" to 
spring up with its branches; and the genealogy of the 
different families was studied and preserved in the 
archives of the city and State. Coats of Arms were 

203 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

obtained by some earlier families and handed down. 
This unequal family distinction caused marriages to 
be made and broken accordingly. Duelling naturally 
sprang up in such a localit}^ like a wild flower in the 
wilderness and young men were taught to defend the 
honor of the family. All civic matters could be, and 
were, settled by the courts ; but the courts had no juris- 
diction over a question of honor. A question of honor 
not only involved the rights and respect due a gentle- 
man, but included all the women in whom the gentle- 
man had an interest. This caused men to be very 
guarded in their remarks in reference to women, for 
gentlemen friends were required to offer their lives 
in defense of the honor of women. So women were 
elevated in the eyes of all men. Men regarded their 
mothers, wives and daughters as their angels, and thus 
was the beginning and life of chivalry in the South. 
Duelling was in full sw4ng until 1866, when it was abol- 
ished. Women regretted to see duelling abolished for 
they rather enjoyed seeing two men mark time, mea- 
sure off space, and shoot to kill in defense of their 
good name. They much preferred that genteel way to 
the modern way of suing for damages or having their 
gentlemen friends go behind the barn and thrash the 
other fellow in the John L. Sullivan method, without 
even seconds or attendants. 

Out of these social relations grew" up a musical or- 
ganization called the St. Cecilia Society. This was 
composed of the young people of the families possess- 
ing a pedigree. Professional musicians were hired, 
on a salary, to entertain the members of this organiza- 
tion; and its doings were censored so that not a line or 
word appeared in print. It was absolutely exclusive 

204 



CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA 

and seclusive. If a young lacV married or moved away, 
her name was stricken from the roll of honor. This 
held the **400" with an iron band, never to be un- 
locked or broken by an outsider or stranger, unless 
the famil}^ tree or pedigree were high and beyond 
question. 

This organization has changed some the past few 
years. It is now a dancing club, also, and those who 
marry or move away are still retained as members; 
but in every other respect the organization is in exist- 
ence the same as heretofore. 

This results in one thing only. It makes its mem- 
bers feel they are better — superior — to every other hu- 
man being. The vulgar are excluded. The stranger 
finds the city cold, and the attitude and bearing of the 
natives make him feel that possibly he is not wanted. 
Possibly this is not intended, but such a spirit has per- 
meated the political and commercial life of the city. 
This is one of the reasons why Charleston does not grow. 
Its aristocracy^ has caused it to die. It is dead. 

I know I ought not to say these things, for I was 
treated royally by the citizens. They took me in 
their automobiles to see the city. They left their busi- 
ness to visit with me. Some made me promise to call 
again before I left the city. Some urged me to visit 
their city again. Husbands and fathers introduced 
me to their families. I do love Charleston and many 
of its people. The women are Yery reserved at first, 
but when you properly meet them they are most gra- 
cious and kind; they are gentle and attentive, and 
their speech and action please you and make you feel 
at your ease. Long live the city of Charleston and 
manj^ of her charming men and women, but I do hope 

205 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

they will look to the future and forget the past. What 
you do and what you are, and not your ancestry, will 
be the standard by which you must and will be judged 
in the end. 



206 



SUMMERVILLE, SOUTH CAROLINA 



Summerville, South Carolina 

THE old ladies of Columbia never will regard 
the Federal soldiers as gentlemen, because those 
soldiers ate the delicate foods these ladies had 
stored away in the cellar, took their horses and car- 
riages, addressed them in conversation without remov- 
ing their hats, and had the audacity to embrace their 
colored maids and make love to them in their presence. 
This they regarded as the limit. It was shocking to 
their sensitive natures. The old soldier boys who yet 
remain, I am sure, can easily charge any misconduct 
of this kind to those who have passed away, and the 
incident will be closed so far as the women living are 
concerned, — hence there will be no divorces and no 
scandals. 

The Southern women are very loyal and patriotic 
to the South, even unto this day. They have their or- 
ders and associations everywhere to keep green the 
memories of the Confederate dead. They see that mon- 
uments and memorials are erected and that flowers 
are placed on the graves at all anniversaries. This 
impresses the rising generation, and the memories of 
the past are thus perpetuated. The presence of the 
colored race ever keeps the opposition united. 

I have seen the typical Southern gentleman of the 
olden school, who sits and dreams of the days gone by. 
They have about all passed away, but here and there 
we see one who observes all the forms and rules govern- 
ing his social position, as was his habit a generation 
ago. He is six feet or more in height. He has white 
hair and mustache, and possibly short burnsides. He 

207 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

is as erect as an Indian and he wears a soft hat and a 
single-breasted black suit and carries a cane. His coat 
is of the Prince Albert style, and he wears a white tie, 
and a standing collar. His small feet are covered with 
well-polished shoes. He is dignified and philosophi- 
cal in his bearing, and in nine cases out of ten he is 
living on the interest collected from his debts. He is 
a gentleman, a statesman, and I am sorry to see his type 
pass away from American life, the same as the buffalo 
has already done. Such men are an interesting part 
of American history. 

Some of these old fellows, however, are game to 
the last. While in Chattanooga, I observed one around 
the lobby of the hotel. He was about seventy years 
of age and was with a young woman about twenty-one. 
On one occasion he returned to the hotel from a trip. 
With grip in hand, he rushed up to the clerk's desk; 
and, looking around, saw the young woman leaving 
the elevator. He rushed up to her, and they kissed 
each other squarely on the lips. He then dropped his 
grip to the floor, kissed the young woman three times 
on each cheek, and stood by her side fondly squeezing 
her hand held in both of his. This made me nervous, 
and I became interested. On inquiry, I learned that 
he was one of the managing officers of the hotel com- 
pany, owning some five hotels, and that he had married 
this young woman a few months before. His knees 
rocked some, and I did then and there think that ' ' there 
is no fool like the old fool." Now girls, it is always 
up to you, after all, whether you would rather be an 
old man's darling or a young man's wife. Whichever 
way you decide, you may at times in the future re- 
gret that you did not do just the opposite thing. 

208 



SUMMERVILLE, SOUTH CAROLINA 

On leaving Columbia the traveler soon observes 
that the land gradually flattens out as he approaches 
the ocean, and that all cotton mills disappear. Yet 
cotton is grown all along to the water's edge. On in- 
quiry, he will learn that no cotton mill has made a 
financial success when located within one hundred 
miles of the shore line of the Atlantic Ocean. This is 
because of climatic conditions alone. It is so warm 
and sultr}^ for a great period of time in the year that 
mill laborers cannot become so efficient as to produce 
work that is equal either in quantity or quality, to that 
of the workmen in the western and northern portions 
or mountainous section of the State. Economically, 
then, such conditions must affect other lines of industry 
until the^^ have superior advantages over all other com- 
petitive points. Hence you see no large cities along 
the shore line above described, in any State possessing 
similar land and climatic conditions. Monopoly in any 
line, or extraordinarily favorable conditions, might 
create an exception to the above conditions and result 
in business success. 

South Carolina has about one million six hundred 
thousand inhabitants, and about 1,000,000 of them 
are colored. The colored people are universally poor, 
and a large percentage of the white people are in a simi- 
lar condition; hence the wealth of the State is in the 
hands of a few of the white inhabitants and a few non- 
residents. There are no minerals of any kind in the 
State. Its agricultural products are cotton, corn, hay, 
wheat, tobacco, potatoes, oats, rye and rice; the five 
principal ones being cotton, corn, hay, oats and tobacco. 
The value of all agricultural products does not exceed 
$150,000,000, and two thirds of this comes from cotton. 

209 

14 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

This does not include lumber productions which are 
large. The value of manufactured products of all kinds 
reaches about $145,000,000 per annum. The farmers 
are devoting much attention to the rotation of crops, 
and this is making the cultivation of the soil more 
profitable, even in the production of cotton. The State 
is becoming more active and efficient in the lines it 
produces, and is making progress. It is now second in 
the number of spindles in its cotton mills, Massachu- 
setts alone surpassing it. The acreage of cotton, be- 
cause of the high price, will be very large next year. 
Old abandoned mills are being restored and placed in 
operation, and towns old and rusty with age and sleep- 
ing" as Van Winkle did, are taking on new life, giving 
emplojmient to the poor and making all America richer 
and better by their increased activity. People are awak- 
ing to their opportunities, and are putting themselves 
in harmony with the new order of things. This place 
is an old fashioned Southern town, slow and rusty in 
action and appearance. But near by is a wooded sec- 
tion of long leafed Southern pine, in which is located 
one of the finest hotels in the country. It is complete 
in all its appointments of golf, lawn tennis, hunting 
preserves and hounds and horses. In fact, it is pre- 
pared to supply every want and desire. The climate 
is ideal during the Winter season. It is a lovely spot, 
and just the place for a nervous person or one who has 
bronchial trouble. 

Here, also, is Dr. Shepard's tea farm. Although 
he is dead others are carrying it on. They are raising 
tea all right, but from a commercial standpoint it is still 
an experiment. There are so many things that enter 



210 



SUMMERVILLE, SOUTH CAROLINA 

into production which must meet the competition and 
conditions existing in other lands where tea is produced 
in a commercial way. Nothing much is gained or learned 
without experiment and effort. 



211 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 



Savannah, Georgia 

IN SOME respects, this is one of the most remark- 
able cities in America. It is one of the oldest and 
richest in history, being connected with some of 
the most important events of the beginning of Amer- 
ican life. A kind hearted Englishman living in London 
became concerned over the fate of the poor debtor who 
was imprisoned for debt, and started out to relieve his 
situation by transporting him to a strange land and 
offering him a new start in life under new conditions. 
Oglethorpe was his name. He was not rich in this 
world's goods, but he was the William Penn of the 
Colony of Georgia. In June, 1732, the King granted 
him a charter and gave him permission to take twenty- 
one imprisoned debtors to this new colony. With funds 
obtained from philanthropic persons like himself, he 
chartered a ship and started on the long voyage to Amer- 
ica. In February, 1733, he and one of his associates, 
Mr. Bull, marked out and located the town of Savannah. 

One strange clause was incorporated in this Charter. 
It provided as follows: "No officer or person shall 
receive any profits, prequisites or fees of any kind for 
his services rendered or to be rendered on behalf of the 
colony composed of these poor debtors." The preva- 
lence of graft that has arisen since that time in many 
lines of business and public life makes this provision 
impressive and wholesome to contemplate in this day. 

We must bear in mind at this time that the possession 
of this land was in the hands of the Indians, and that, 
in order to avoid future conflicts, favorable terms had 
to be first obtained from them. This Oglethorpe accom- 

212 



SAVANNAH, GEORGIA 

plished by dealing with the Indians in the most honor- 
able way, and during his management he succeeded, in 
most cases, in securing their love and friendship. To 
guard against surprises, however, he caused a stockade 
to be built around the small settlement ; and within this 
enclosure all their horses, cattle and other domestic prop- 
erty were kept. In time, the settlement increased in 
size and outgrcAV the stockade. In laying out the city, 
he anticipated this by making squares in the middle of 
the streets, in every block. This was for the purpose of 
enabling the settlers without the stockade, in case of 
threatened danger, to bring all their earthly possessions 
on the inside and house them in the squares until the 
danger had passed by. Finally, the necessity for these 
squares passed away ; but the city, as it grew, continued 
this original plan of making squares in the middle of 
the streets between the blocks. These squares are every- 
where to-day. They contain shade trees, flowers, and 
seats, and are used by the children as neighborhood 
play grounds. This makes the city one of the most 
beautiful little home towns in America. This plan, of 
course, makes the streets wide, and they are well paved 
and kept clean. The side-walks are wide and in good 
condition. The business houses are good. 

Savannah is, in many ways, a very attractive place. 
It is located on the Savannah River, which has a depth 
of twenty-eight feet at low tide. The land is swampy in 
the vicinity of the stream and during the heated part 
of the season much malaria still exists there. As in 
most sections of the South located along the Atlantic 
Ocean, the natives have failed to show any disposition 
or energy to improve the conditions by installing or 
adopting a proper system of drainage. It was here 

213 



thp: sunny south and its people 

that John Wesley began his work in America, and this 
was the birthplace of Methodism. He began his work 
in 1736. The name Methodists was applied to the fol- 
lowers of Wesley from the manner in which they lived. 
Here he started the first Sunday School in America, 
and the one he launched still lives. It was here that he 
wrote his first book of hymns in 1737. He returned 
to England in 1738. Think what this man planted on 
American soil in the short period he remained in this 
barren and isolated spot! It has grown to be one of 
the greatest religious forces in American life and has 
spread out into foreign lands. George Whitefield was 
sent over as his successor, and the work planned by 
Wesley was ably carried on by Whitefield for many 
years until he died at Newbury, Massachusetts, in 1770. 
Savannah was attacked and captured in 1778 by the 
British, and held until May, 1782, when the natives 
assumed control once more. The home, or estate, of 
the British Lieutenant Governor was confiscated and 
given to Major General Nathaniel Greene for his serv- 
ices. It is located fourteen miles north of Savannah. 
Greene lived on this plantation until he died in 1786. 
It was known as the Mulberry Grove Estate, and re- 
mained in the Greene family until 1800. In General 
Greene's house in 1792, Eli Whitney planned and in- 
vented his cotton gin which worked such a revolution 
in the handling of cotton. On this plantation, the re- 
mains of Greene were buried, but subsequently his body 
was removed, quietly and by strange hands; and his 
final resting place is now unknown. When George 
Washington visited Georgia, he was fittingly enter- 
tained at this plantation. Washington paid his second 
visit to Georgia and this city in 1791. General Greene's 

214 



SAVANNAH, GEORGIA 

house was burned in 1864 by Sherman's army on its 
march to the sea. The city was almost destroyed by fire 
in 1796, and again in 1820 ; the damage of the second fire 
being estimated at $5,000,000. It has a population of 
about 60,000 ; 35,000 of whom are colored. It has enter- 
tained many distinguished citizens in the past. Vice Pres- 
ident Aaron Burr was entertained in 1820 in his official 
capacity. President Monroe paid his respects to the city 
in 1819, and in 1825 Lafayette was making a visit to 
this country and honored this city with his presence. 
While here, he assisted in laying the cornerstones of 
two monuments, one to Greene in Johnson's Square 
and the other to Count Pulaski in Chippewa Square, 
both generals having fought with him for the independ- 
ence of the American colonies. Five hundred children 
participated in the ceremonies. In 1838, Savannah 
had grown to be a city of 7,000 population. In 1844 
Henry Clay, the ''Old Prince," dropped in on the citi- 
zens; and in 1847 Daniel Webster, accompanied by his 
wife, paid the city a flying visit. In 1849, Ex-President 
James K. Polk honored the city with his presence. The 
visit of William Makepeace Thackeray, that distin- 
guished English author, must not be forgotten. What 
other American city of this size can boast of so many 
distinguished visitors in its short history? And it 
played its part in the Civil War. It is eighteen miles 
from the Atlantic Ocean where Fort Pulaski is located. 
The Confederacy captured this fort in January, 1861. 
The Federals recaptured it in 1862, and Sherman took 
possession of the city in 1864. When everything was 
quiet. General Robert E. Lee, in search of his health, 
made it a visit in 1870. In 1883 President Chester A. 
Arthur looked in upon the residents of Savannah, and 

215 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

he was followed by Jefferson Davis and his daughter 
in 1886. Then, in 1886, came the earthquake which 
did great damage to Charleston and some damage here. 
To keep the record straight it should be stated that 
President Cleveland paid it a flying visit in 1888. 

Savannah has a large foreign commerce, consisting 
mostly of the export of cotton, which alone amounts to 
more than $100,000,000. This creates large deposits for 
the two National and ten State and trust banks. 
The deposits are about $40,000,000. The market place 
is interesting. It has been in existence for fifty years. 
It is a combined closed and curb-market. Dealers 
pay one dollar a week for the enclosed and fifty 
cents a week for the curb for the privilege of selling 
goods on the market. It is open every day the 
year round, except Sunday. The colored people largely 
control the market as truck gardeners and husksters. 
Things are very reasonable in price but the market is 
not sanitary; in fact, it looks filthy. It is used as a 
football in city politics. The housewives depend on 
it and patronize it in large numbers. Truck gardening 
is hard work, and the Southern white people are not 
the best of friends to hard work, especially when there 
are any colored people still alive. 

The people have other claims to distinction. It was 
from this city that the first steamship that ventured 
out upon the open seas started for Liverpool, England, 
across the Atlantic Ocean. It was a steamer of 350 
tons, and was named the " Savannah." The ves- 
sel left Savannah on May 22, 1819, and arrived in 
Liverpool, England, on June 20, 1819, the trip taking 
twenty-nine days and eleven hours. Thus was demon- 
strated the genius of the young American, which was 

216 



SAVANNAH, GEORGIA 

to revolutionize the commerce of the world. Fulton 
discovered the use of steam in 1807. He built the 
' ' Clermont, ' ' which operated on the Hudson River, and 
he was first to establish steam traffic on rivers. The 
''Savannah" was equipped for sailing as an emergency. 
Many sailing vessels, seeing smoke coming from it, 
supposed it was on fire and went to its relief. In Eng- 
land, all official life and the common people viewed it 
with pleasure and amusement. From Liverpool, the boat 
went to Stockholm, and then to St. Peterburg; and it 
made the same impressions on the people of these coun- 
tries as it had made on the inhabitants of Liverpool. It 
returned to Savannah November 30, 1819. It was too 
expensive to operate it as a steamship, and it was oper- 
ated thereafter as a sailing vessel. Thus the ''Savan- 
nah" passed into history; but steam navigation, in due 
time, became a necessity, and to this city and its early 
citizens all honor is due. The contribution made to 
the world was something worth while, — something of 
which all Americans are justly proud. 

Savannah is believed by the colored people to be 
the best city in the South, because nowhere else are 
they treated so well as here. They have three colored 
banks; many own real estate; and they are not op- 
pressed as they are in other parts of the South. 

Their educational advantages are the same as in the 
other States, the authorities not permitting them to go 
beyond the tenth grade. They have no high school ad- 
vantages. However, the amount of education they do 
get is silently but surely undermining the present eco- 
nomic conditions between the white and colored popu- 
lations. The colored people are beginning to get rest- 
less over the treatment they have been receiving. 

217 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

To properly discern the drift that has been started 
by the little education that has been given the colored 
people, we must recognize three classes among the 
white population. First, there is the small percentage 
of the refined and educated white class, either with or 
without wealth. Second, there is the middle class of 
whites, who have limited education and are engaged in 
respectable employment. As a rule, the people in this 
class are in comfortable circumstances. Third, there 
are the poor uneducated whites who must toil for a 
living in the more laborious pursuits, much the same 
as the colored people. With the last two classes the 
Civil War is still on. The prejudices against the North, 
and against Northern influences and enterprises, are 
simply smoldering and are almost as strong and bitter 
to-day as they were previous to and following the Civil 
War. It is true that these prejudices are not so open 
or outspoken as they were during the war ; but, in many 
instances they exist in the thoughts, feelings and con- 
duct of the people the same as of old. In the small 
towns and villages and in the country, it is especially 
so. Education has made the feelings of the colored 
people finer and more sensitive, hence they resent the 
slights, the insults, and the cruelty of the whites, bear- 
ing such treatment in sullenness and subdued anger. 
This is especially true of the young people. The edu- 
cated whites and the educated colored people under- 
stand each other, and there is no trouble between these 
two classes. Another cause of friction is the success of 
the colored people and their acquisition of property. 
The white people resent manual labor; they shun and 
avoid it whenever possible, as being beneath their so- 
cial standing and solely within the province of the 

218 



SAVANNAH, GEORGIA 

colored race. To people who have no money and inherit 
none, work seems to be an absolute necessity; hence 
the colored man works. He does everything he can get 
to do. He has invested his surplus money, and with 
the growth of the country he is attaining a certain de- 
gree of prosperity. The poor white people observe 
this, and they resent their misfortune and envy the 
prosperitj^ of the colored people. This leads to irrita- 
tion and conflicts, and to the oppression of the colored 
people by these whites. This is natural. Prejudices 
of this character often exist in one white person against 
another. So in many places, in fact in nearly all places, 
a colored man must remove his hat when he approaches 
a white man in his place of business and remain 
uncovered until he leaves the building. In the country, 
the small towns and the villages this is especially de- 
manded by the^ white people as a token of the colored 
people's respect for their superiority. Regardless of 
the white person's standing or intelligence, the colored 
man must observe this custom although he may be richer 
in this world's goods, more refined and better educated. 
This can have only one effect — silent resentment. 

The cotton mills employ only white labor in the fac- 
tories. The colored people plant, cultivate, produce 
and deliver the cotton at the mill; and there, their 
w^ork ends. The white people are employed by piece 
work, and earn from two dollars a day down. Two 
dollars a day is regarded as big wages. If a man is 
married and has children, he often finds two dollars 
a day insufficient to clothe, educate and support his 
family; so his wife joins him in the mill, if she can, to 
assist in earning sufficient for their needs. In many 
cases, because of domestic conditions, the young children 

219 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

are forced to join the father and work by his side to 
support the family. This lowers the vitality of the 
children and deprives them of an education; and thus 
we have the poor, stunted, uneducated "white trash," 
whose distress, want and inefficiency are gradually in- 
creasing. And all this is the result of prejudice, — 
prejudice against the colored peoples' prosperity, small 
though it be. 

The salvation of the South is in higher wages and 
universal education. In time, this would make a New 
South with better feeling towards the North, and to- 
wards the colored people, and with greater progress in- 
dustriously and agriculturally because of greater effi- 
ciency in the masses. When the masses are ignorant 
and poorly housed, fed and clothed, no intellectual, 
moral or financial progress worthy of consideration 
can be made. Each human being, in order to be profit- 
able as a producing unit in and to society, must be 
cared for intelligently, both in body and in mind, and 
conditions surrounding his life must be pleasant, whole- 
some, healthy and uplifting. If one is to realize the 
best and greatest profits out of the opportunities that 
surround him, the morning sunshine should bathe 
his whole being and cause a bright eyed smile instead 
of a downcast look of sadness and despair. Another 
cause of friction and unrest among the colored people 
is the many unjust, false and trivial charges filed 
against them in the courts. Many times these charges 
are followed by lynching, and thus the accused is de- 
prived of his day in court. Thus, among the younger 
generation, many criminally inclined are being de- 
veloped and brought into existence. There is a hopeless 
resentment of the want of fair and honorable treatment, 

220 



SAVANNAH, GEORGIA 

both individually and collectively, given by the whites. 
This will increase and become more formidable and 
embarrassing" to the South as time goes on. Most animals 
will turn and fight when driven to extremes. This is 
one of the natural instincts of animal life for self-pre- 
servation. When in need of labor on the streets and 
public highways, public officials will often send out wag- 
ons, arrest the necessary number of colored men, file 
some trivial charges against them such as boot-legging 
and the like, try them and send them to the bastile for 
the period they are needed. They are then dressed in 
white suits, with black bars encircling the body, and 
sent out in squads, under a white foreman, to labor the 
allotted time on the public improvements under con- 
struction. Even race tracks have been built in this way. 
And this is the policy of nearly all the Southern States 
toward the colored people. Manj^ colored people have 
told me of such wrongs that have been done to innocent 
people of their race, and a few white persons have admit- 
ted to me that such was the practice in many localities. 
Another source of discontent has been the low wages 
paid the colored people by their employers, and the 
manner of payment. Common laborers get from $.75 
to $1.25 a dsiy and are idle half the time. Housemaids 
get from $2.50 to $3.50 a week. Hotel maids get 
$15 a month. Engineers receive from $30 to $45 a 
month. Carpenters get $2.50 a day. In all other 
lines the wages are in like proportion. Because of the 
low wages and frequent inability to get work at any 
wage many have been driven to desperation and have 
become criminals for life. You must bear in mind that 
the colored man was given his freedom without money 
and without credit. Empty pockets and stomachs^ 

221 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

with food stuffs and fine chickens all around, have, 
unfortunately, created a criminal class. The offenses 
are mostly of a pilfering character but sometimes they 
reach a more serious stage. At first they take food for 
the time being to appease the appetite, and the habit 
grows on them. For this they are arrested and pun- 
ished by being placed in the chain gang to work in the 
public service building, and on the streets, roads, bridges 
and buildings and on any other public improvements 
needed and constructed from time to time. In this 
way they are fed and housed and avoid starvation, and 
are apparently happy in escaping the worser of two 
evils. 

All these things and the labor conditions created 
in this country by the foreign war, caused a great exo- 
dus of colored people from the South to the North and 
the New England States. This movement commenced 
in the spring of 1916, and continued throughout the 
year. Thousands have already gone, some from every 
Southern State, and it has only just begun. In Penn- 
sylvania, some are reporting back that they are earning 
$3.00 and $4.00 a day and are paid in cash. While 
in the South, they were paid in merchandise and 
in dribs, a little at a time, never getting enough at 
once to move beyond the countrj^ They never knew 
how much was due them, for they never could get a 
settlement with their employer, and in many cases they 
were cheated out of the amount in fact due them for 
the hard labor performed. They are sending for their 
wives and children, also their relatives and friends. 
If the colored people do as they talk, the exodus in 1917 
will surpass that of 1916; and the more intelligent ones 
say that the movement to leave the South has only 

222 



SAVANNAH, GEOKGIA 

started. This is going to cripple the South for labor. 
The more reliable and industrious ones are leaving, and 
the bad ones are being left behind. The result will be 
that the colored people will be more generally distrib- 
uted throughout the United States, especially in the man- 
ufacturing and mining sections. The South will have 
to treat the colored people better, pay them higher wages 
and give them better living conditions. Landlords 
now give a colored tenant a one-room shack costing 
from $75 to $100 and charge him $4.00 a month rent. 
A two-room shack no better in construction brings 
$6.00. They are miserable excuses for dwellings. I met 
one old colored man who had quit raising cotton and 
said he had moved into the city to make a living. T 
expressed my surprise at his inability to make a living 
in the country raising cotton. He told me the ''ducks" 
ate his cotton up every year. I asked him to explain. 
He said the landlord staked him with machinery, tools, 
seed, and provisions. He bought all necessaries and 
fertilized and planted, cultivated, gathered and deliv- 
ered the cotton to the landlord's warehouse. The land- 
lord ''ducked" him for rent, then "ducked" him for 
machinery and tools and mules. He "ducked" him 
for staking him with interest. He then "ducked" him 
for storage, and then "ducked" him for insurance. 
And when the cotton was sold he "ducked" him for 
commissions. He finally discovered it was always the 
same, that the "ducks" had eaten his cotton up. "The 
ducks got me each time," he said, "so I quit and moved 
into town to work and avoid the ducks and support my 
family. ' ' 



223 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 



Savannah, Georgia 

NOT mainy years ago, a boy was working in a gen- 
eral store in Canada at four dollars a month. 
He possessed a vigorous mind and a restless 
spirit. While 3^et a boy, he rolled up his clothes in a 
bundle and went to St. Paul, Minnesota. His capital 
was good habits and a good mind. His ruling impulse 
and desire were to do something worth while. 

He soon found employment in a coal office, and in 
a few years had saved some money. The girl who 
waited on him at his boarding house likewise had good 
impulses and a good mind. The 3^oung man admired 
her, and wanted her to be his companion through life. 
He advanced her money to obtain an education, thus 
making her his equal and a suitable partner in the 
joint undertaking of building an ideal American home, 
— a home dominated by simplicity and good common 
sense. 

He soon took up the transportation problem. A 
desert, which afterward proved to be an empire unde- 
veloped, covered the whole Northwest. With lion-like 
energy and will power, this bo}^, now a man, built two 
great railways through the wilds and over the desert, 
to the Pacific. At first, the scarcity of freight and bus- 
iness presented a new difficulty, but, in due time, all 
problems were solved successfully, and J. J. Hill the 
boy became "Jim" Hill, the man, the Empire builder of 
the Northwest. In one short life, he accumulated suf- 
ficient to leave his girl wife and her children $70,000,000. 

At the same time, another boy was building a rail- 
road from the Atlantic, through swamps and over an 

224 



SAVANNAH, GEORGIA 

elevation of 5,000 feet. In the swamps he lost 4,000 
of his men, including his two brothers. The railroad 
extended to San Jose, Costa Rica; and, when it 
was completed, he had but little freight, and had to 
create the business. This man is yet alive; he is worth 
millions and lives in New York City. He is Mr. Keith, 
the president of the United Fruit Company. There 
was 3^et another poor bo}^, the son of a preacher, who 
at the age of fourteen years was a messenger boy for 
a New York broker. He possessed qualities similar to 
those of the other two boys. He saved his money, stud- 
ied the problems of his employer and married a girl 
Avho later inherited a million. She had confidence in 
his integrity and ability, and loaned him her million. He 
bought the old Union Pacific Railroad, a failure and a 
fraud. He borrowed and put millions in the roadbed, 
making it one of the best beds in the world in that day. 
He bought bigger engines and larger cars and made 
longer trains; and he astonished the railroad world 
at the low cost of handling freight by the new method 
of operating railroads. Profits rolled into the pockets 
of the owners; and this boy died at the age of sixty- 
two, leaving his wife $68,000,000. 

These three individuals were dealing with the prob- 
lem of the transportation and distribution of food- 
stuffs to the human family. Their efforts and ability 
and the good the}- accomplished were not appreciated 
during their lives; neither are they appreciated now 
by the millions who enjoy the benefits of the work and 
accomplishments of these three masterful minds. Mr. 
Hill almost depopulated Norway and Sweden to obtain 
farmers to locate on farms in his wilderness. These 
farmers raise cattle, hogs, sheep, poultry, corn, wheat, 

225 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

barley, oats and vegetables and the like, in great quan- 
tities, to feed millions of the human family elsewhere; 
and this produce was to be carried to market over his 
railroads. With the rapidly growing population, what 
would the price of foodstuffs be to-day if it had not 
been for this man's prophetic vision and early action 
to provide for the future wants of man? 

And so with Mr. Keith and his bananas and the 
fruits of other kinds which he cultivated. He perfected 
the banana and made it world-wide in its benefits, — 
the poor man's food. Its life-giving energy is supe- 
rior to meat and it is cheaper than apples from your 
neighbor's orchard. 

Transportation does enter into the cost of produc- 
tion and affect the cost of living. The genius of Mr. 
Harriman demonstrated how it could be done econom- 
ically, and all other railroad managers became his 
imitators. 

As a rule, people are just; and they would appre- 
ciate the efforts of such men, if it were not for the long 
spindling chaps who become agitators to get a public 
office. They want these public offices in order that they 
ma}^ become self-sustaining. Otherwise they have not 
the ability to keep their ''pants" properly creased so 
as to enter "good society." They create so much prej- 
udice in certain periods of time that a Napoleon with 
searchlights, piercing the darkness far into the fu- 
ture, as these men did, becomes discouraged; and thus 
the benefits the people might enjoy are retarded or 
possibly lost. 

What the South needs now most of all is boys who 
will become men like the three I have just described. 
There are millions of acres of rich soil in eastern North 

226 



SAVANNAH, GEORGIA 

Carolina, South Carolina and southern Georgia, Ala- 
bama, Louisiana and Mississippi. It is still in a virgin 
state, untouched and undeveloped. In the West they 
have arid lands, and go to the mountains for water. 
Here they have too much water and refuse to drain 
the land, except enough to raise the food they need to 
live on. They climb the mountains to get their timber, 
and stop midwaj^ on the uplands to plant enough cotton 
to produce the necessary cash for their pleasures and 
luxuries. 

This is not wholly true of the present, but it is of 
the past. I know of one Southern railroad that has 
employed fiftj^ men to work in Tennessee, the Caroli- 
nas and Georgia, organizing ''boys' corn clubs," all 
along its line. It is Jim Hill's idea transplanted in 
the South. The members of the club are being taught 
many other things besides the raising of corn. Another 
railroad has taken up the same plan on its lines, and 
trul}' it is pleasing and quite interesting to see the en- 
thusiasm that is being created among the boys. Even 
the old men are getting gay and are beginning to have 
school house gatherings to discuss the best farming 
methods, diversified crops and registered stock. Dairy- 
ing and poultry are also receiving serious attention. 

All this is especially so in the State of Georgia, 
which is next to Tennessee in progress. They have 
even organized canning clubs for the girls. The agri- 
cultural colleges, with their agents, and the State agents 
are working in harmony with the railroads. Georgia has 
nearly 100 men employed to demonstrate the various 
crops and teach the art of soil building; and it has 
nearly fifty women to look after the girls. In time 
this will make a new Georgia, — a richer and better 

227 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

Georgia. They have pig clubs and poultry clubs, and 
they are spreading faster than the boll weevil. 

And now the farmers are organizing counties to 
fight the boll weevil in a scientific manner. They are 
forming into clubs and making the farmers sign agree- 
ments to obey instructions. Work of this character 
in any line counts, and in the end brings results. 

Georgia can and will be made a great State. Some 
farmers from New England and the North have pur- 
chased farms in different parts of the State; and, so 
far as I could learn, are devoting their energies to 
stock and grain. One New England man has pur- 
chased 3,500 acres near Augusta, and he is making it a 
model stock and dairy farm. He planted 400 acres 
to corn this year. The State has about 34,000,000 of 
acres, and about 24,000,000 are in forest. The hard- 
woods are oak, hickory, ash, dogwood, black gum and 
persimmon. The soft woods are long and short leaf 
pine, poplar and cypress. 

This State produces about $150,000,000 of cotton 
per year. About $20,000,000 of it is sea island cotton. 
Its corn last year amounted to 65,000,000 bushels. 
Georgia has large productions of oats, wheat, rye and 
rice. Its hay crop is good. It raises peanuts and to- 
bacco. It is next to Louisiana in production of sugar 
cane. Irish and sweet potatoes are grown. There is a 
big crop of the latter this year and they are selling 
for fifty cents a bushel. Tomatoes, spinnach, kale, 
beets, carrots, cauliflower, squash, lettuce, egg plant, 
asparagus, peaches, apples, pears, prunes, cherries 
and quinces are raised in abundance. Of watermelons, 
there were over 10,000 car-loads shipped out this year. 
Even pecans and other nuts are grown here. 

228 



SAVANNAH, GEOKGIA 

Cotton and knitting mills are numerous over the 
State; also fertilizing plants. Georgia claims her man- 
ufacturing industries produce about $200,000,000 a 
year. 

Like the Carolinas, however, she is short on miner- 
als. Land is cheap running from $5.00 up. Around 
Macon it is worth from $10 to $25 an acre ; and around 
Savannah, about $30 ; around Athens about $40 ; around 
Atlanta about $50; and around Augusta from $10 to 
$100. 

Stu3^vesent Fish, the millionaire of New York, owns 
the lighting plant at Waycross, a town of about 25,000. 
He has just had built there a packing plant for hogs 
and cattle, and was there the past week for the opening 
occasion. He was the lion of the da}^ He urged the 
farmers to raise more hogs and cattle and get rich. 
Large railroad shops are located there, with a payroll 
of a million and a half a year. Good wages buy good 
beef. 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 



Augusta, Georgia 

THIS cit3^, and Athens, Atlanta and Macon are the 
four principal cities in northern Georgia, and 
are in the center of the agricultural and cotton 
sections. 

Augusta claims a population of about 6,000 people, 
fully 60 per cent of whom are colored. It is a very old 
city, having been established hy Oglethorpe, an English- 
man, in the year 1735. He did his work well. The 
streets are all wide, the principal one. Broad Street, 
being fully 100 feet across. The streets are well paved 
and have beautiful shade trees. This gives to the city 
a very attractive appearance. 

Its hotel facilities could be improved. It has some 
good business houses. It tried to surpass Atlanta and 
undertook to erect a skyscraper eighteen stories high. 
The building remains vacant and unfinished. The 
Chronicle erected a twelve-story building adjoining this 
one and then came the big fire that almost destroyed the 
city. This occurred a little over a year ago. It damaged 
property to the extent of millions of dollars, and the 
city has not yet recovered. The owners are trying to con- 
vert the Chronicle Building into a hotel, which would 
be a good move for the city. 

Augusta is quite a manufacturing point. In addi- 
tion to its good railroad facilities, it has four canals 
connecting it with the Savannah River. Thus it is 
provided with amj^le means to handle its commerce. 
Some Eastern parties built a hydro-electric plant, 
getting the power from the same river; and this fur- 
nishes the city with light and motive power for the 

230 



AUGUSTA, GEOKGIA 

factories. A large line has also been formed with East- 
ern parties to the commercial advantage of the city. 
Its factories are varied. It has brick factories, lumber 
mills, iron and wagon works and flour mills ; and it 
calls itself "the Lowell of the South." But its greatest 
factories are cotton mills, and of these it has seven. 
This makes it the second in importance among the 
cotton trading centers in Georgia. 

It is well patronized by Northern and New England 
tourists, many having built beautiful Winter homes on 
the hills, as they claim the climate is superior to that 
of Florida in many ways. It is not hot and sultry in 
the early spring, and the atmosphere is dryer. It is, 
in a way, the resting place for many rich people of 
Pittsburgh, Pennsj^lvania, who predominate in numbers. 
In the Revolutionary War, many battles were fought 
in this locality between the English and Colonials. Au- 
gusta was made headquarters for the army. Here was 
located the powder works for the Confederates during 
the Civil War. And here, unusual monuments abound 
everywhere to honor the dead. There is a Confederate 
soldiers' monument, and there are monuments for Gen- 
erals Lee, Jackson, Walker and Cobb. Thus the memo- 
ries of the past are ever kept green b}^ the living. 

Atlanta is the city of the South. They call it the 
"Gate City" and the "New York City" of the South. 
It claims a population of 200,000 "or more." There 
are at least a dozen skyscrapers, and the city has many 
beautiful, well-paved streets, although they are some- 
what narrow. Fully 60 per cent of the population is 
colored. Atlanta is the booster of all boosting cities. 
It is really a Northern city, and Northern citizens have 
pushed it forward in its rapid pace the past few years. 

231 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

This is the real energy back of the wonderful growth 
of Atlanta. It is commercialism and commerce reach- 
ing out in all lines and all directions. It is a great rail- 
road center located 300 miles from the sea, — an inland 
city that is working to overcome all obstacles. Many 
large Northern and Eastern concerns have made it their 
distributing point for the South and have established 
branch lines and branch agencies to look after their 
business. It has built up a large export trade and han- 
dles, on a large scale, tobacco, cotton, grain, horses and 
mules. In mules, it is second to St. Louis. It has cot- 
ton mills and manufactures cotton-seed oil, bags, fur- 
niture, machinery, fertilizers, flour, lumber and its prod- 
ucts, agricultural implements and patent medicines. Its 
mayor is none other than Mr. Asa G. Candler, who by 
means of ' ' coca cola ' ' has made himself many times a 
millionaire. He is a good man in the right place. Many 
of our American cities are reaching out for the beau- 
tiful Civic Pride. To some this means much, to others 
little. To Mr. Candler it means much. 

On arriving in the city the traveler gets a bad im- 
pression at the Union Station because it is surrounded 
by a lot of rusty, worn out buildings of all sizes, shapes 
and material. It looks like a junk shop. 

The mayor purposes to condemn all this property 
for a park and to landscape it, and make out of it a 
beautiful plaza to the point where the '' city beautiful " 
begins. Atlanta is the capital of the State and he wants 
the State to help, both by ennabling legislation and by 
a substantial contribution of cash. The estimated cost 
is about $7,000,000. Now that is a beautiful thought, 
something big, and if accomplished, will make the mayor 
on a par with the grand old Solomon of Jerusalem. 

232 



AUGUSTA, GEORGIA 

The question is, ''Will it pay?" Yes. To make 
beauty arise where filth and ugliness and unclean liness 
abound is a profitable investment, even at a generous 
cost. Beauty, flowers and music never caused any hu- 
man soul to commit crime against himself or society. 
The love of the beautiful created and cultivated in 
the masses directs the actions and thoughts of human- 
kind toward good, wholesome citizenship. Good citizen- 
ship 23roduces good governments, and good govern- 
ments make life worth living. Bad governments are a 
curse to all mankind. Good wholesome surroundings 
have a tendency to make people more contented. Who 
ever saw a boy go wrong if he loved his dog and made 
it his bosom friend and companion? AVhj^? Because 
the dog knows no Avrong and its simple nature re- 
sponds to the tender loving kindness of its master. So 
let us make our cities places of beaut}^ and cheerfulness, 
abodes where it is easy to do good and hard to do evil; 
and thus we will reduce crime. Simple living will 
follow, with industr}^ and thrift. This is the only way 
to reduce poverty. 

When one sees all this growth in this place in so 
short a time, he can hardly believe that Sherman cap- 
tured the city in September, 1864. General Hood was 
at the head of the Confederate forces. The city was 
almost destroyed. There is no doubt of General Sher- 
man's leaving his tracks as he went along. In Novem- 
ber he started for Savannah along the Central Railroad, 
and fires and destruction left but little remaining along 
the journey. I do not know when or where he said 
"War is Hell," but it must have been somewhere on 
his march to the .sea. His tlieory was to leave nothing 
behind from which the Confederate could recuperate, 

233 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

and there is no doubt that his journey was a success. 

Athens is a town of 20,000 inhabitants and one of 
the most important institutions of the State is located 
liere, the Agricultural College. Atlanta has an altitude 
of about 1,000 feet, and this town is not quite so 
high. Its average temperature is about the same, how- 
ever, 60 degrees. It is a very attractive little place. 

Macon is an enterprising town located near the cen- 
ter of the State, and it is a railroad center. It has a 
population of about 60,000 people, about 60 per cent 
being colored. It is quite a shipping point for agrical- 
tural and manufactured products. 

Brunswick and Savannah are the two main ship- 
ping ports of Georgia, located on the coast. The State 
lias eight cities with a population of 8,000 or more, and 
it has good trading centers in abundance, some of them 
looking like wide awake little places and having the 
air of prosperity. Georgia is prosperous if she may be 
judged by her cities and towns. Everywhere are evi- 
dences of growing wealth ; the industries are varied 
and extensive; and the banks have increasing deposits 
and capital sufficient to handle the business as it ex- 
pands. 



234 



DURHAM, NORTH CAROLINA 



Durham, North Carolina 

THE western part of this State has many prosper- 
ous towns and cities, ranging from a few thou- 
sand inhabitants to 40,000 or 50,000. The coun- 
try is hilly; and there are good-sized rivers, which pro- 
tect the inhabitants with proper sanitary conditions, 
and also, after the process of filtration, afford good 
drinking water. This city has a population of about 
40,000 people. It is clean, neat and attractive in ap- 
pearance with good business blocks facing wide streets, 
and with good side-walks. 

It is now governed by the commission form of gov- 
ernment, consisting of three members. Many towns 
of this State have adopted this form of city govern- 
ment, and everywhere there is a noticeable difference 
between those which have and those which have not. 
The streets are better paved and cleaner, and they are 
built out into new territory for the development of 
additions to the city. This, of course, causes expan- 
sion of the wealth of the city, brings into view new 
property for taxation ; and thus creates new life, energy 
and progress for the cit.v. Taxes remain about the 
same but, under the commission plan, more improve- 
ments are made for the same expenditure of public 
funds. They have better and finer cities by reason of 
the adoption of this form of government; and it has 
the approval, everywhere, of a very large majority of 
the people. 

This is not the only thing that has made Durham an 
attractive place. It is one of the most favored of all' 
cities of its size, here or elsewhere. It has a citizen by 

235 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

the name of Mr. Duke, now an old man, who has taken 
unto himself a young wife and is enjoying life. He 
has turned his former cares and troubles over to his 
two sons. Mr. Duke was a farmer many years ago. He 
lived about fifteen miles from the city and was engaged 
in the raising of tobacco. He was very successful. He 
conceived the idea of manufacturing his product. This 
also grew, and as it enlarged he bought tobacco that 
other farmers raised; and it grew, and it grew, and 
finally became the moving spirit of the American To- 
bacco Company. Many have contributed to his millions 
and smoked to the old man's comfort, happiness and 
good health. This trust was finally dissolved by the 
Government into its separate units, and he is making 
money in all of them. 

Not satisfied with its success in tobacco, the house 
of the Dukes entered the cotton field on a large scale. 
Now their factory has grown until it comprises enor- 
mous plants, giving employment to thousands of people. 
They are the life and wealth of Durham. The Dukes 
made and own the town. They make all kinds of to- 
bacco, such as plug, cigarettes, etc. One plant pays the 
Government over $15,000 a day revenue. The buildings 
are neat and attractive, and the grounds are kept in 
the same condition. They are just like a park. The cot- 
ton mills are kept in the same physical condition. They 
have made it a model factory town. They manufacture 
sheets and pillow slips. They operate knitting fac- 
tories. All know the Dukes as tobacco men. The night 
riders of Kentucky made the tobacco company famous, 
and the Dukes could not escape. 

All the towns in Georgia, South Carolina and North 
Carolina situated near mountains of any size have 

236 



DURHAM, NORTH CAROLINA 

from one to several cotton mills. The European war 
has made some of the owners several times millionaires. 
They are unable to supply the demand, and the price is 
advancing" constantly. Some are operated with three 
shifts a day and night. All have not done this, because 
of the scarcity of labor. 

There is a sad part to all this. The colored man 
and his wife and children go to the fields and plow 
and plant ; they cultivate and pick and deliver the 
crops to the landlord. He does not hesitate, in most 
cases, to manage affairs so that the colored man and his 
family get food and clothing and are protected. But 
that is all they get. The landlord sells the cotton to 
the mill operator and receives all the profits. The mill 
owner, in turn, employs white help, except that in some 
cases colored help is employed for some menial work 
about the mill. He pays two dollars as the high wage 
for ten hours of work, with one half holiday on Satur- 
day. The laborer soon finds that, on account of the 
high cost of living, he is unable to support himself and 
wife on this wage, and especiall}^ when his family be- 
comes enlarged by the addition of a child or two. So 
the child joins the parents, as early as twelve years of 
age in some cases ; and it takes all three, or more, to 
keep the family from the poorhouse. 

My observations convinced me that fully tAventy- 
five per cent of the help in the mills consisted of boys 
and girls. I visited different towns. These little chil- 
dren were thin and poor looking; there was no color in 
their faces ; their eyes were faded and dim ; their bodies 
were frail and thin ; * they appeared both overworked 
and under-nourished. They were becoming physical 
and mental wrecks. The body could not be developed 

237 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

under such circumstances. Deprived of school privi- 
leges, the mind was drying' up except for the automat- 
ic work it had learned to do. Here you have the poor, 
ignorant white trash of the South; and this is how 
they are produced on a large scale. 

The policy of the educated and well-to-do in the 
South is to maintain this condition among the poor 
whites and also among the colored people, in order that 
they may have servants in large number and at a low 
wage. This has been the condition all over the South. 

Another policy has been to employ a colored man 
and give him work half of the time, and always to keep 
him in your debt. Many men told me this was the only 
way to keep the colored man. This is why colored help is 
considered unreliable in the South. This is why many 
steal that they may live. They are underpaid, often 
deprived of a portion of what they do earn, and unable 
to get constant employment. Such conditions can re- 
sult in nothing else but unsatisfactory help. 

Common laborers are paid $1.25 a day; carpen- 
ters are paid $2.50 a day; brick masons receive $3.50 a 
da}'. In nearly all three of these lines, the work is 
done by the colored people, except when the poor white 
trash work in. 

These are some of the reasons why the South is fifty 
years behind the times. These are some of the reasons 
why the South did not grow as it should have grown 
after the Civil War. The white people declined to do 
hard work and they kept those who had to work poor 
and under subjection. 

No country or state can become rich and prosper- 
ous when the masses are living in poverty. Good 
houses, good wages, good sanitary conditions and good 

238 



DURHAM, NORTH CAROLINA 

treatment of the laboring classes bring wealth and 
riches and prosperity to the State. The poor live well 
and spend their earnings and the rich save; and that is 
the difference between a rich and a poor man. The 
well paid laborer makes good business conditions for the 
merchant. This causes new enterprises to be launched 
and there is a call for more labor; and thus a State 
becomes rich and prosperous. All of this the South 
has failed to observe and follow in the past. 

Education and intelligence are enemies to a low 
wage and poverty. The percentage of illiteracy has 
been high in the past because the rulers wanted it so. 
The extension of the public school system to the colored 
people is the cause of the extensive exodus of the ne- 
groes to the North and East at the present time. It will 
continue in the future unless the South increases the 
pay of the colored man and grants him greater educa- 
tional advantages. The seed of knowledge has been 
planted, and it will grow and multiply with time. The 
South is seeing the light; gradually it will grant these 
concessions; and when they are fully bestowed it will 
grow wonderfully in commerce and wealth. It has the 
soil, the climate, the markets and the transportation 
facilities to become an empire in itself. 

The white man must go to the field with his hoe; 
he must go to the shop ; he must go to the timber and the 
mines and develop the natural resources at his door. 
All America is mutual h^ interested in the development 
of the Sunny South, — a land rich in history, rich in 
minerals, rich in literature, rich in soil and rich in 
possibilities of the future. 

But she must reform and protect and mature the 
delicate forms of her children ; that they may grow up 

239 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

to be real men and women, producing units of mental 
power; that they may contribute something worth 
while to the body politic of which they are members. 
Each individual should be prepared to contribute more 
to society than he receives during his natural life; 
otherwise he is a parasite, a burden to mankind. The 
individual owes everything to the world, and in return 
it owes him nothing. Have you contributed anything 
for the benefit of mankind? 



24U 



JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 



Jacksonville^ Florida 

IN THE Winter period, the climate in Jacksonville 
is very similiar to that of Los Angeles, California. 
However, a northener sweeps down occasionally 
and, for a day or two, chills the air and lowers the tem- 
perature to a point where it is dangerous to the culti- 
vation of the orange tree. P'or this reason, no oranges 
are raised for the market liere; the orange territory 
being farther South. 

The atmosphere is bracing and many tourists remain 
here all Winter, as freezing and snow are substantiall}^ 
absent. The tourists are a little better groomed and 
somewhat more substantial looking than those who visit 
in southern California. Many of them have the Eastern 
air about them, although tlie observer recognizes that 
they are tillers of the soil, at least most of them. The 
gambler, the sport and the confidence man, including 
the pickpocket, are here looking up their trade. They 
are of all grades, some dress as dudes, right in the fash- 
ion, stop at the best hotels and get acquainted "with 
the best.'' Even matrimony is consummated, in some 
instances, to carry out the Winter's work. Of course, 
the rich widows are mostly sought; and they often prove 
easy victims. One woman from Tennessee married a 
' ' handsome fellow. ' ' She was rich. The union lasted six 
months. She found out that he had been in the peni- 
tentiary three times, and was a professional pickpocket, 
a hotel thief and a handy man of the world. The 
widow is here again this Winter and desires another 
man. Some women want the earth, and are dissatisfied 
with their lot in this world. They crave two things. 

241 
16 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

— a man and the right to vote. It is their divine right 
to have both, not only in expectancy but actually. Some 
are here who have never enjoyed the blessings of either. 
Some start the word around or down the line in the 
parks that they are well to do, self-supporting and in- 
dependent. When this news gets abroad, the old boys 
spruce up, look pleasant, drop the kinks out of their 
halting steps and maneuver for an introduction. It is 
easy, for in most cases it is only an illusion. And, 
after all, men and women are only monkeys, playing 
tricks and cavorting around to deceive one another. Of 
course, there is the romance and the sentiment that ''it 
is better to have loved and lost than never to have loved 
at all." Day after day, the sparring goes on, until a 
call comes from home and the moving picture film of 
life fades away to be repeated next season. Jackson- 
ville has other attractions besides "youth and old age 
and climate." 

About fifteen miles up the St. John's River, is a 
small settlement called Mandarin. About 200 people 
:reside there in the woods. This settlement was there 
back in the eighties. A distinguished American wo- 
man took a fancy to a small tract of ground consisting 
of three acres. In the center of this tract grew a few 
enormous water-oak trees, with bending, drooping 
branches. In the midst of these trees was an open space 
wliere she built a Winter home. Her name was Harriet 
Beecher Stowe. And here, in old age, she passed her 
happy days in company with her husband and sur- 
rounded by a few of her old friends from New Jersey. 
The Nicholl, Hooker, Crane and Webb families all had 
homes near by to cheer and comfort one another in a 
lonely spot in the woods. Nearly all have passed away, 

242 



JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 

leaving a few relatives who are now scattered. Some 
were Englishmen. Mr. Nicholl was such, and his rep- 
resentatives are in England engaged in the war of 
nations. Mrs. Stowe felt the need of a church, and 
through her efforts a small Episcopalian edifice was 
erected. This church is still used for divine services. 
A parsonage was erected at the same time. The prop- 
erty is now owned by her old friend, Mr. Mead, of 
Caldwell, New Jersej^ About eight years ago, the 
house was removed to a spot about a mile back; and it 
has since been occupied by colored servants, — a fitting 
use of the old home of the author of Uncle Tom's 
Cabin. The kitchen still stands on the original prem- 
ises, and is filled with kitchen and old household 
furniture. A few orange trees still stand and are bear- 
ing a little fruit, but the}' are neglected and forgotten. 
While living, she confided to her friends and neighbors 
in her Southern home that, had she lived here before 
her book was written, it would never have been written. 
While living in New England, young and imaginative, 
the sentinent for the supposed wrongs of the colored 
people wrought upon her mind so strongly, that, with- 
out actual knowledge and experience, and from imagi- 
nation alone, she composed the book which made her 
famous and was a moving potential force that went 
far towards bringing about the freedom of the colored 
race. They disappointed her in her Southern home. 
She felt they were shiftless, that they were without 
ambition or a desire to elevate themselves, that they 
would never advance far towards individual intellect- 
uality, and that hence they were doomed to be an infe- 
rior race. Time alone will solve many of these prob- 
lems. A large percentage of them in the South is 

243 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

shiftless; so are many of the Southern white people 
shiftless. Climate does affect animal life morally, in- 
telleetiially and physically, whatever the species under 
its influences. A moist and depressing heat, prevailing 
for eight months out of twelve, and frequently going 
to 108 degrees or more above will weaken the energy, 
aggressiveness and spirit in all animal life ; and human- 
ity is no exception to the rule. Such conditions do 
cover a large section of the Southern States; and this 
together with an overplus of cheap colored help, causes 
the people to make slow progress as a body. The fire 
of 3'outh is burned out early, and the race in life lags 
because the heat units are without and not within. And 
so it will always be, to the end of time, unless the cli- 
mate changes. Snow and ice and storms and strong 
winds, alone, build up human character and put 
strength and vigor into animal life. Resistance makes 
bone and muscle, and the overcoming of obstacles leads 
on to victory and progress in every way. ^'It is grit 
that makes the man and the want of it the chump." 
It is the same here as it is in all warm climates. 
Religious cranks generate and grow and expand into 
every phase of religious frenzy. They have them here 
in plenty. There are two men here now whom I have 
noticed occupying street corners; they are fairly well 
dressed and have long hair and whiskers, in imitation 
of Jesus Christ as artists have pictured him. They 
claim that men should be here on earth forever if it 
were not for their sins. Their doctrine is that death 
and departure from this earth are caused by the short- 
sightedness of men. Then there is a Jew from Russia, 
with a few women associates. They call themselves 
the Pontifical sect. They make progress by creating 

244 



JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 



excitement. At times they are called ''Holy Jump- 
ups" because in their services, at the proper period, 
they jump up and down on the platform and become ex- 
cited, giving' vent to their enthusiasm with speech and 
song. This, of course, influences those who are weak of 
will and inclined to be emotional. Some evangelists use 
this method to arouse their audiences to a frenzy; and 
when these conditions exist, they willingly take the 
''saw-dust trail" and are cleverly "saved," at least 
for a while. The tribe of barefooted and bareheaded 
agitators is not in this locality. It is too cold. They 
may be elsewhere in the State where the climate per- 
mits such exposure, to assist the brain in attracting 
the attention of the wicked and the lost. 

The city has but little manufacturing or jobbing 
interests outside of the State. It is not only the gate- 
way for tourists, but it is the distributing point for 
fruits and vegetables to the New England States and 
the North. Its orange production amounts to about 
$5,000,000 per annum. Its lemon industry is small. It 
has large lumber interests; and Armour & Company 
have just completed a packing plant for the purpose 
of slaughtering native cattle and hogs. The other 
Chicago concerns are here as distributors of meat prod- 
ucts, only; and some of them are extensively prepared 
to handle the trade, which is very large in the Winter 
season. 

The city has ten white banks and one colored bank. 
The white banks now have on deposit $31,000,000. 
Some of the bank buildings are imposing structures, 
adding much to the beauty and substantial appearance 
of the city. The location of this city makes it an im- 
portant distributing center for the products leaving 

245 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

and merchandise entering the State. It is just seven 
feet above the sea level, and is located on a flat, sand}' 
soil which surrounds it for miles in every direction. 
Tlie soil will produce no vegetable life until one builds 
it or makes a soil of sufficient quantity and quality to 
grow the things he desires to produce. He must consider, 
at the same time, the climatic conditions and the charac- 
ter of the soil he has to deal with, hi fertilizing, he 
must use material that contains the elements necessary 
for the desired product; otherwise the fertilizer might 
have the opposite effect and his efforts be worse than 
lost. Fertilizers are expensive. Everything in this 
city is expensive. They claim it is the fourth in the 
list of the most expensive cities in the world, so far as 
tlie necessaries of life are concerned. The Woman's 
Club is trying to find the cause of this condition and in- 
stall the remedy. Woman always has it in her power 
to make living dear or cheap; but she is not, on most 
occasions, willing to make the sacrifice necessary to go 
from high living to a simple life. She will not be out- 
done by Mrs. Jones. So it is a constant grind that 
invariably ends the same, namely, in the denunciation 
of all trades people and all interests directly or indi- 
rectly handling or dealing in the necessaries of life, 
and in the continuation of the same mode of living as 
before. 

Judicious purchasing, the eliminating of many of 
the pleasing and convenient popular service agencies 
and putting in lieu thereof more personal effort in 
meeting the producer face to face, must and will mate- 
rially reduce the cost of living. The women can instill 
in the youth of America habits of thrift and economy 
instead of habits of waste and extravagance. These 

246 



JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 

are the two prominent characteristics in American 
life of to-day. One leads to power and permanence, 
the other to weakness and ultimate extinction. The 
future life of the American Republic is in woman's 
care and keeping. "Will she rise to the responsibility? 
It is a delight and a pleasure to see the American women 
take a deep interest in the high cost of living. Hope 
is dawning and the problem is for her to solve. 

This city is located not far from the southeastern 
corner of the State of Georgia, just twenty-eight miles 
from the Atlantic Ocean. It is on the St. John's River, 
which is navigable, having a depth of about thirty feet. 
Florida is peculiar in its formation. No doubt when 
it was made the excessive pressure was at the South; 
and this being true, the southern end of the Peninsula 
State was tilted higher than the northern part. This 
is why the St. John's River starts from lakes located 
in the center of the State, runs along the eastern sec- 
tion, then turns due east a short distance north of 
Jacksonville and empties into the Atlantic Ocean. It 
is a large river, and the only one I can recall which 
travels up hill. This makes the city of Jacksonville a 
port where most of the large ships can approach 
throughout the year. The city has a population of 
about 85,000 people, 50,000 of whom are colored. 
It is the largest city in Florida, with wide, clean, well 
paved streets, and with good buildings and many sub- 
stantial business houses. The hotels are numerous, and 
some are yery creditable for a city of this size. It is, 
in truth and in fact, the gateway for the tourists going 
South, as almost all the railroads coming from the North 
touch this city*. The trains on these roads are loaded 
with thousands of tourists from all sections of the 

247 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

country, but mostly from the New England States and 
the Lower Mississippi Valley. For this reason, its 
appearance is very much like that of any active, pro- 
o-ressive Northern city of the same size, especially dur- 
ing the Winter. It has suffered the loss of many 
colored people during the year 1916, as have all other 
Southern cities. Charleston, South Carolina, lost about 
10,000; Savannah, Georgia, lost about the same num- 
ber. This city tried to stop their migration to New 
England and the North by passing an ordinance pro- 
hibiting an}' one from iiiducing or engaging the colored 
people to leave the city without first taking out a city 
license so to act. This required the payment of $250 
and the observation of and compliance with certain 
prescribed rules in the ordinance. When this became 
the law, the white agents refused to take out the license. 
They established an underground passageway to a hill 
known as '' Four Mile Hill." This was so called be- 
cause it was four miles outside of the city limits. The 
first gathering of the colored people there occurred on an 
evening in August, 1916. All day long the colored men, 
women, children. and their pots kept up the exodus to 
Four Mile Hill. Some went on foot and others in bro- 
ken down buggies and vehicles of every description. 
These conveyances were loaded with truiiks, bundles, 
bags and receptacles of all ages and kinds holding the 
earthly belongings of the fugitives. The people were 
of all ages, sizes and descriptions. It w^as the crusade 
of early history repeated over again, but of another 
kind. Some Avere laughing, some were crying. Fami- 
lies, separated for the time being, bade each other good- 
bye. Yet they were hopeful in the extreme, for they 
were responding to the people who gave them their 

248 



JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 

freedom and who were now inviting them to come and 
locate in the promised land, — a land of work and plenty, 
a land w^here there was real freedom and an opportun- 
ity for willing hands to build up and acquire a compe- 
tence by performing honest labor. The number so 
gathered exceeded 10,000 souls. Never before was there 
such an outpouring of a w^'onged and oppressed race. 
They went out peaceably and full of hope, ready to 
go anywhere in this their own country in order that 
they might make a new habitation under better condi- 
tions and among people whom, though strangers, they 
considered as their friends. As darkness came on, two 
trains with twelve coaches each were filled with the race 
that has suffered much from the hands of the whites. 
This trouble was brought about to avoid arrest by the 
city officials of Savannah. No other occurrence like this 
has happened in the South. Jacksonville lost from 10,- 
000 to 12,000 colored people during 1916. If the state- 
ments of the substantial colored men can be relied upon, 
it is my judgment that this immigration of the colored 
people has only started. Those who have gone are 
sending money back for their relatives and friends, 
who are arranging their affairs to depart at the first 
opportunit3\ In time, this exodus will cripple the 
South in many ways. The colored people will receive 
better treatment and higher wages in their new home. 
A living wage makes of a man a better citizen, whether 
he be white or black; and a practical education makes 
of him a more efficient unit in society and the State. 
An idle, inefficient unit of society is like swamp land, 
— a burden and a menace to the life and health of those 
who come in contact with it. And this disturbance in 
the South is only a manifestation of hidden, unseen 

249 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

forces working for the uplift and purification of the 
American people. 

This is an expensive city in which to live, because 
much of the foodstuff comes from North and East. Many 
])eople from these sections have located here to escape 
the severe extremes of the weather, and the}^ insist on 
the same kind and style of living as that to which they 
liave been accustomed. This, of course, is impossible 
at a low cost, as land for miles and miles around this 
city is too poor to produce the foods which can be grown 
on the rich, black loam of the Mississippi valley in 
abundance and with but little exertion. It is impossible 
to produce animal foods at a reasonable cost unless the 
soil will sustain the foundations necessary to build and 
develop animal life, to-wit, corn, hay, oats, rye, alfalfa 
and grasses that produce fats. These things cannot be 
successfully grown around Jacksonville, because of the 
lack of that fertility in the soil which is so essential in 
the production of the proper feeds required to sustain 
cattle, horses, mules, sheep, hogs and the like and to 
put on the necessary fat to make an animal whether 
man or beast, full-sized and well rounded out. Hence 
a better quality of these things is produced elsewhere, 
and with less cost. When wanted here, they must be 
shipped in, and transportation for long distances costs 
money, and makes animal food expensive. The territory 
around this city is adapted to the raising of vegetables 
and certain kinds of fruit. The soil can be made fairly 
remunerative; but it must be properly fertilized and 
irrigated; the foods to be raised must be selected with 
regard to the sandiness of the soil; the seed must be 
planted in the proper season of the year; and the crop 
must receive proper attention and care. The fact that 

250 



JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 

climatic conditions make it possible for them to pro- 
duce more than one crop a year enables the gar- 
deners here to compete in some articles with better 
soils in colder sections, where only one crop can be pro- 
duced in twelve months. In the Winter time, the tem- 
perature seldom gets down to 20 degrees above zero, and 
the length of the Winter season is not over sixty days. 
The low temperature does not last longer than a day 
or two at a time. 

The city is wide open in its government, on the theo- 
ry that the large number of tourists must be enter- 
tained and must have amusements. State laws are 
violated to do this; but the tourists are the harvest for 
the natives, and the more the city can induce to come, the 
bigger the harvest. The Summer months are quiet, hot 
and lean. About eighty per cent of the dwelling houses 
have signs tacked up announcing ''rooms for rent" or 
' ' rooms and board. ' ' In these rooming houses and in 
the numerous hotels, thousands of storm scared people 
find a haven of rest during the Winter months. If one 
knows how, he can get any kind of a drink seven days 
in a week. The places where drinks may be had are 
called ' ' clubs ' ' ; and the minute you open the door and 
get on the inside, you are a member. At the entrance is 
a conspicuous sign, stating that ''this place is for mem- 
bers only." Some of these clubs have reading rooms 
next to the side-walk. Here you can read the daily 
papers, the weekly and monthly magazines. I inspected 
this department, and found that the literary branch 
was not much used. The dust had been undisturbed 
for a long period. On the inside are tables, kitchens 
and things one feels he needs and ought to have. No 
introduction is needed, not even a card. Some money 

251 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

is all that is necessary. They appear glad to see the 
visitor, and the warmth of the reception gives him the 
feeling that he has been well treated and that he is 
welcome to come again. The bane of the liquor busi- 
ness is the good fellowship that surrounds its dispensa- 
tion. A radiant smile puts one at ease, and gives him 
a warm heart ready and willing to receive everything 
that is offered. This makes him remain too long, visit 
too often and drink too much. Some commercial houses 
might get rich if they would observe the treatment of 
the visitor or customer by the barkeeper. '^ Smile and 
the world smiles with you, weep and you weep alone." 

The "red light district" is here in full swing. Each 
house pays the city $21 a week. This question has two 
sides to it, but the practice is doomed and the sooner 
the better. Such a partnership on the part of the city 
is demoralizing and expensive. It is the source of 
much graft, directly and indirectly, in all the depart- 
ments of city government; and it is destructive of 
wholesome, healthy human lives within its influence. 
It is tainted money and dear money to all who taste, 
touch or handle it. Our American cities are fast get- 
ting away from the idea of even tolerating it, with or 
without money. 

It is estimated that between $30,000,000 and $40,000,- 
000 are brought here and expended by tourists in each 
Winter season. From my observation, I do not doubt 
it. This does not include what might be permanently 
invested. That is a large amount of money to pay for 
pleasure and recreation and the privilege of getting 
away from the snow and ice. In time, this will be a 
real Winter play ground for New England and the 
Middle States ; and here lies the real wealth of Florida. 

252 



JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 

Good and sufficient hotels with reasonable rates, fair 
treatment of the tourists; and good highways connect- 
ing the many small towns throughout the State, will 
induce hundreds of thousands to visit it then who do 
not now; and thus the natives will have consumers 
for the fruits and table foods they can produce. The 
long expensive transportation charges will be eliminat- 
ed, altogether. In this lies tlie future prosperity of 
the State. 



253 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 



St. Augustine, Florida 

THE Floridian Peninsula was discovered b}' Ponce 
de Leon, a Spaniard, in 1513. He was deposed 
by the King of Spain as Governor of Porto 
Rico; and, being a wild and reckless man, possessed 
of an adventuresome spirit, started out to discover 
new lands. He was born in 1460, and was the child of 
one of Spain's noblest families; and, because of the 
manner of his living- from earl}^ manhood, he was anx- 
ious to restore his lost youth and health. He had 
heard, from natives, that a spring located somewhere 
to the north possessed the qualities of making the old 
young and gay once more; so he sailed, in the spring 
of 1513, for the fountain of youth. He landed near 
where St. Augustine is now located, and, because of the 
abundance of flowers, he named the country Florida. 

The land was inhabited by Indians. Their settle- 
ments, in some cases, were of respectable proportions; 
and they had advanced, to some degree, in the arts and 
agriculture. He found them peaceful, and he and his 
men were treated with kindness and consideration. 
Later, in his absence on a visit to his home in Spain, 
other Spaniards arrived. These caused disturbances 
by cruel and dishonorable treatment of the natives, so 
that on his return in 1521 he found the Indians hostile 
to his landing. In the battles that followed, he received 
wounds, which shortly thereafter caused his death. The 
Huguenots came, in 1562, and founded a settlement 
near by. The object of their coming was to secure 
freedom of action in religious worship. In 1565 Melen- 
dez came, with twenty or more priests and over 2,000 

254 



ST. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA 

settlers, and founded the present city of St, Augustine. 
This was fifty-five years before the Pilgrims landed on 
Plymouth Rock. These early settlers suffered many 
hardships and losses from time to time. Soon after 
the founding of the city, the French, the English 
and the Indians combined made an attack upon it, and 
the inhabitants endured many trials and tribulations. 
A fort was erected, and garrisons and missions were 
established for outposts; and thus civilization began. 
Sir Francis Drake, of Pacific fame, appeared in 1586, 
and captured and burned the city. After his depart- 
ure the fort and the city were rebuilt. However, in 
1647 the settlement contained only 300 people, so de- 
structive were the numerous attacks on its existence. 
From time to time, Drake, Davis and other pirates 
continued to pra}^ upon these different settlements 
along the coast, until 1825, when the United States Nav}^ 
chased away forever the last pirate ship in American 
waters. In 1763, when England and Spain were at war, 
Spain lost her Floridian possessions to the British. Eng- 
land retained ownership until in 1783, when she con- 
veyed it back to Spain. In 1821 Florida was purchased 
by the United States for $5,000,000. Since that time, 
the Stars and Stripes have floated over Fort San Marco, 
thereafter named Fort Marion. In 1835, the Seminole 
war began. This war grew out of an effort on the part 
of the United States forcibly to remove the Indians, 
led by Chief Osceola, to the happy hunting land in 
the West. This war lasted seven years, and it cost 
1,700 American men and $40,000,000. The Indians 
have been reduced by sickness and death from 6,000 to 
about 2,000. They now wander over the Everglades, 
a swamp consisting of about 1,500,000 acres, located 

255 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

in southwestern Florida. The Indian's lot has been a 
hard one, after all. The white man would not let him 
be fair. He has always had to fig-ht or surrender pos- 
session of the rich lands, not only here but in every 
section of the United States. This rule of might, 
prompted by the struggle of life, is the governing pas- 
sion in the conduct of the human family to-day in all 
parts of the earth. It has been so in the past, and it will 
be so in the future. The plan and purpose of life is to 
struggle and fight for existence. This is life in all its 
forms, and it means progress and civilization through- 
out the w^orld. And thus St. Augustine, the oldest city 
in the United States, began and struggled along for 
almost four centuries. 

This city is most interesting from every viewpoint. 
Every nationalitj^ made some impression on its life; 
but there is nothing to be compared with the effect of 
the tastes, mental tendencies and eccentricities of the 
Spanish people. In appearance, construction and man- 
ner of life, this city is Spanish. It is true that no Span- 
iards are there, but their spirit hovers in and around 
this quaint old city. It has about 7,000 inhabitants 
consisting of approximately 4,000 colored people and 
3,000 white people. They were sleeping, dreaming of 
the past and hoping for the future, when a benefactor 
unannounced and to them unknown walked into their 
midst. From a swamp, he created palaces, and he 
made flowers and shrubbery, vines and palms and the 
like to spring up in symmetrical profusion, forming 
another Garden of Eden in the western desert. This 
man was Henry M. Flagler, and all honor to his name. 
He began life a poor newsboy, and we all know that 
the task of a newsboy is no easy one. When he grew 

256 



ST. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA 

up and was too large to sell papers, he learned the car- 
penter's trade. He followed that calling until he was 
attracted to the oil fields and arose to be one of the 
strong men in the Standard Oil Company, which, in 
its day, demonstrated the justice of calling its organi- 
zation one of the greatest business combinations on 
earth. All its pioneers were young men who were 
poor. As a rule, men rising from poverty to affluence 
and possessing commanding intellects, have humble 
spirits. They never forget their early days of poverty. 
They see poverty and know it when they see it; they 
have felt its sting and have been bitten by its hunger 
and torment, so that their hearts beat for all mankind. 
They see so much distress that they do not know where 
to begin and just what to do or how to do it. Such 
has been the experience of the pioneers of the "Stan- 
dard Oil Crowd." They have been philanthropists, all 
of them, who have left the world better by their hav- 
ing lived in it. They did things on a great scale by 
bringing the necessaries down within reach of the mul- 
titude, by creating new livable conditions for mankind 
and by ministering to the wants of rich and poor alike. 
And so it was with Flagler. He built a railroad into 
a desert; he erected magnificent hotels along his road; 
he then invited the rich to visit what he considered 
the finest Winter climate in the world. He knew they 
would be so charmed that they would visit his hotels 
again; and he believed that, in the end they would do 
as he had done, — invest millions of dollars in a desert 
land, where poverty, want and distress abounded every- 
where on account of lack of transportation of the things 
that would grow. He knew that millions of acres that 
were idle and unproductive would produce the finest 

257 

17 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

table foods and fruits iu the world. This would put 
tropical foods within the reach of poor, congested sec- 
tions elsewhere at reasonable prices, and at the same 
time create values in the land of the natives and make 
life easier for them. This undertaking, as we see it to- 
da}^, took, not only ability and capital, but an iron 
nerve. At the ripe age of eighty-three, Henry M. 
Flagler passed away with his work substantially fin- 
ished. Time alone will demonstrate his vnsdom in 
starting the enterprise and in having confidence that 
the people would develop the land and help themselves 
when the opportunity was brought to their doors. He 
was married three times. His first wife died ; his second 
wife became hoplessl}' insane, and after several years 
he was separated from her by decree of court. From 
this union he had two children, a son and a daughter. 
The son resides in New York and the daughter married 
a Mr. Benedict. She became the mother of one child. 
Both she and the child are dead. As a loving father, 
he erected, in her name, near his residence in St. Au- 
gustine, a Memorial Presbyterian Church, at a cost of 
$650,000. The interior is in the shape of a cross. This 
idea is carried out in the lighting system and in every 
other way. The entrance is at the foot of the cross. A 
magnificent pipe organ is placed at the head of the 
cross. On the left arm of the cross a beautiful mauso- 
leum is built. It is surrounded by magnificent marble 
columns and the interior is finished in marble. Kest- 
ing there in a marble casket beside his loving daughter 
and his grandchild, is the one-time newsboy and car- 
penter, the philanthropist, the builder and creator of 
great things. With all his greatness, he was simple, 
kind, gentle and democratic in his ways. 

258 



ST. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA 

A monument to his memory has been erected in a 
park at the depot of the Florida East Coast Railway. It 
consists of a granite pedestal on which is mounted a 
bronze statue of Mr. Flagler. He was plain in dress, 
was about six feet tall, and weighed about 200 pounds. 
His hair was close clipped and he wore a mustache. 
Late in life, both his hair and his mustache were snow 
white. In his latter days, he was almost helpless. His 
third wife, only, survived him, and she afterwards re- 
married. The hotel named after the discoverer of Flor- 
ida is truly a palace; and with its mate, the Alcazar, 
makes the life of St. Augustine costly and elegant. Oil 
paintings adorn the walls of these hotels. The ceilings 
are matchless in beaut.v, and carved figures in wood make 
these places marvels of beauty and design. The man- 
agement is gracious, deferential and pleasing from 
the head to the foot; and when the conveniences and 
the treatment are considered, the prices are reasonable 
and worth what is paid. This is the New St. Augustine. 

In the old town there are many things to play upon 
the cupidity of the visitor and relieve him of his pen- 
nies. There is Fort Marion; there are the two houses, 
each claiming to be ''the oldest house," there are the 
slave market, monuments and other relics. The shops 
are small like the streets. Some streets are not over 
fifteen or sixteen feet wide. The houses are low; they 
stand next to the side-walk, and occasionally some ex- 
tend over the side-walk. This compels the pedestrian 
to walk in the street. In the old Spanish days, this 
was all right; but, with the automobile of to-day it is 
not safe. The shops belong largely to curio dealers. 
The business lasts only for about seventy days, when 
the hotels are open, that is, when the natives are skin- 

259 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

ning ''the Alligators." In the Summer time, they trade 
dollars with each other and wait until next Winter for 
the next crop of ' ' Alligators ' ' ; and during this waiting 
period, they skin the oranges. There is nothing else 
to do. This is a typical tourist town, trusting in the 
Lord for a good crop next year. 



260 



DAYTONA, FLORIDA 



Daytona, Florida 

NO DOUBT Florida came into existence through 
the action of great tidal waves of the ocean 
which piled up the sands of the sea against 
the Gulf of Mexico for thousands and thousands of 
years. The white sand, which looks like snow by bright 
moonlight, covers the ground wherever you go. The 
land is low and level in every direction. In some places, 
it is just above the water's edge, and in other places 
only a few feet. In the interior, many places are be- 
low the sea. Many of these contain water, which forms 
swamps' and marshes of all descriptions. So it is in 
St. Augustine. The city has filled many of the swamps 
but others are permitted to remain, and the odor of sul- 
phur coming from them is perceptible. And this is 
not all that is coming from these swamps and marshes. 
Millions of mosquitoes spring into existence, and, as 
the warm weather approaches, after having a Winter's 
feast off the tourists, they grow fat and large. After 
you have been bitten a few times, I am quite sure you 
would not hesitate to go on the witness stand and de- 
liberately testify, without malice aforethought, that, in 
your judgment, the}^ are as large and strong as Eng- 
lish sparrows. The natives den}^ that these mosqui- 
toes are to the manner born, but insist that they came 
down the Atlantic coast to spend the Winter, away from 
the ice and snows and chilling winds, just like the 
white ''folks" and the get-rich-quick crowd. However 
this may be, they are here, — big, fat fellows just like 
the big Chicago fellow who goes out for business and 
does things. This did not seem to satisfy the natives, 

261 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

so they enlarged the territory for the mosquitoes to 
cavort and frolic in. They induced the Government 
to build a breakwater to keep the ocean waves from 
beating down a very modest sea wall built to protect 
the city and keep the water from flooding it. This 
creates a large shallow bay next to the town, which 
will always have mosquitoes, and no doubt tourists, to 
the end of time. 

So far, I have observed no scenery in Florida. It 
is one flat, monotonous expanse of territory decorated 
with the long-leafed pine and having a foundation of 
sand that apparently is without bottom. Because of 
the low altitude and sand}^ soil, water permeates the 
ground everywhere and is often quite near the top. 
Except for garden foods, irrigation is necessary only 
in a few instances. 

The first town of any importance is Palatka. It is 
five miles inland, and 3^ou can reach it by a stub rail- 
road or automobile. It is a very nice attractive trading 
point of about 6,000 people. The streets are clean, and 
along the side-walks orange and lemon trees are planted 
for shade. The uniqueness and noveltj^ of the scheme 
adds to the attractiveness of the place. This is only 
the outer edge of the orange groves, and the people 
are devoted to the raising of vegetables as a livelihood. 
You must bear in mind that Florida is a large State. 
It is about 500 miles long and 130 miles wide. It is an 
old State, yet the natives protest it is only ten or fifteen 
years old, as life and prosperity began to smile on it 
about that time. It was then that Northern and New 
England capital began to be invested here by the in- 
creasing army of tourists. In truth and in fact, this is 
about all the prosperity that exists here. The natives 

262 



DAYTONA, FLORIDA 

and past tourists who are permanently located here, at 
least for a period of time, are now planning and making 
arrangements to celebrate its centennial of statehood, 
which happens in the very near future. 

After leaving Palatka you come to the next trading 
center, a place that devotes most of its energies to 
raising one thing only, Irish potatoes. The Irish you 
find everywhere. When I die and go to heaven I ex- 
pect to find an Irishman guarding St. Peter's gate, 
hence I am going to be good to the Irish, for I do not 
know which one w411 be in charge. For this reason, 
alone, I shall never become an Englishman. I am 
willing to take a chance once in a while, but not too 
many or too great; this one is too great. Well, this 
little town of about 5,000 people received about $1,- 
000,000 last year for the Irish potatoes raised in this 
neighborhood. The crop is being reduced in quantity 
and quality, because of the inability of the growers to 
buy potash for fertilizing. Germany formerly supplied 
their wants in this respect and England has prevented 
the supply, hence they are against England. So goes 
the world. This is about the only thing that grows in 
Florida. It is free from attack by any creature, and 
it can be brought to maturity with little care and atten- 
tion. The sweet potato is injured seriously by the sal- 
amander, a species of mole, a creature smaller than a 
rat. In spite of the injurj^ from this pest, nearly 4,000,- 
000 bushels of potatoes were produced in Florida last 
year. 

Our next town was Ormond, purely a sea resort 
with one of Flagler's magnificent hotels on one of the 
finest beaches in America. Here you can ride for miles 
on the beach when the tide is out. Twenty automobiles 

263 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

can go abreast on the sand. The tide returns about one 
o'clock. You can do the same thing at St. Augustine. 
I took such a ride, and will remember it always. It is 
a pleasure and delight for the young and exhilarating 
for old men and women, especially for old men who 
are trying to renew their youth for some future ''en- 
gagement." I am sure P. T. Barnum would say the 
same thing if he were alive, and what he did not know 
about human nature was not worth knowing. When 
he lost his fortune, he could always work the same old 
crowd with some new thing and be placed on his feet 
again. Now, that is only retaining confidence in your- 
self and keeping your nerve. ''It is grit that makes 
the man and the want of it the chump." Don't forget. 

This brings us to Daytona, Florida. Do not for- 
get the place. They do the same thing all over Flor- 
ida, I am told, but Daytona can be quoted by Dunn & 
Company or Bradstreet in " I A A." An old resident 
of Florida told me that the natives had nothing to do 
for nine months in the year, except to trade dollars 
with each other, if they had any, until the tourist crop 
arrived; then they "skinned the Alligators." "In 
other words," he said, "in the Summer time we skin 
oranges and in the Winter time we skin the Alligators ' ' 
— tourists. On investigation, I have found this to be 
the truth with ninety per cent of the hotels, restau- 
rants and houses and rooms for rent. Prices go up 
from 50 to 400 per cent. I must except the Flagler 
hotel management. The appointments and the service 
rendered are worth what you are charged. The price 
is alwaj^s the same and the only point with you is as to 
whether or not you can afford to buy the goods. 

Daytona is a restful city. The streets are wide, 

264 



DAYTON A, FLORIDA 

and there are moss-covered live oaks along the walks 
on many of them. A drive through the streets is 
pleasing, entertaining and restful. The population is 
about 8,000 people, of whom possibly forty per cent 
are colored; and there are only about three Southern 
families in the town. The people are mostly from New 
England and the Mississippi valley. Some residences 
are large and attractive, but most of them are modest. 
There are some fine homes across the river on the Sea- 
breeze drive. From 10,000 to 15,000 tourists spend the 
Winter at this point. There are many hotels and room- 
ing houses, and there is no business of any kind except 
the process of "skinning the Alligators" in one way 
or another. One of the bankers told me his deposits in- 
creased over $2,000,000 during the tourist season. He 
loaned to the trades people and on town property, but 
not a dollar on farm lands. He said it would be dan- 
gerous. He has been in the banking business here 
twenty years. I took a trip in the country through the 
pine woods. They are nothing but a jungle with 
"negro shanties." All tourists leave the first week in 
April. This is so all over the State, because at that time 
it begins to get hot. The mosquitoes have multiplied 
so you can see their victorious armies congregating, 
and the large hotels lock the doors and nail up the win- 
dows. Their guests have flown. Those remaining are 
the Florida "cracker" (the whites) and the colored 
people. The natives are called "crackers" because they 
become bleached out and thin, look fagged and tired 
and apparently want to sit down and wait for the 
Judgment Day. The "new blood" that comes in to 
stay says they are lazy and will not work. In time 
"new blood" will unconsciously fade into the same 

265 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

mental and physical conditions. It is so all over the 
world in all hot climates. All animals are undersized 
and will not move except to obtain the necessary food 
to keep them alive. The sun takes the starch out of 
them. Nine months of continuous hot weather on ani- 
mal life produces the same effect, regardless of the 
form of the species. Here you have the alligator, the 
turtle and the sleepy species. Their nature has been 
produced by thousands of 3'ears of the same environ- 
ments. Even in the Winter period the temperature sel- 
dom goes below 60 degrees above and from this to 80 de- 
grees above. As Winter climate, it is fine for the old, the 
weak, the blind and the poor. Fish abound everywhere, 
and with hook and line no one need starve. By proper 
fertilizing, three or four crops of vegetables can be 
grown a year. This is sufficient for a small family. 
Yet one needs some monej^ for clothing and the neces- 
saries that arise from time to time, and the extremely 
weak and poor will sooner or later meet distress. The 
occupations are few and far between, the pay is small, 
and applications are many and pressing. This is the 
natural condition in all such climates; and, after all, 
it is the last place a poor man or woman should go un- 
less it be to ''skin the Alligators." California treats 
its tourists fairly in the matter of hotels, restaurants, 
and rents. Florida must change her ways and do like- 
M'ise or slie will have to hunt new ''Alligators" each 
succeeding Winter, and that is expensive in the end. 



266 



PALM BEACH, FLORIDA 



Palm Beach, Florida 

HERE we are at this famous Wintering place to 
which thousands of tourists travel from all 
parts of North America. There are the old 
and the young, somebody and nobody, some with large 
red faces and others with thin, small, white ones, short 
men and long women, short women and long men, men 
with bunions and women with corns, men and women 
with the duck walk and others with the turkey walk. 
But, no matter to what class they belong, all are trying 
to look fine, — that is to be sprightly and young and elas- 
tic in movement. The bunion and corn doctor is here, 
and so is the beauty doctor. The things that are un- 
necessary and cumbersome are taken away and the things 
that are lacking are supplied; so, when discharged, 
each one looks like his or her real self, and has a smile, 
artificial or otherwise, mostly otherwise, that will never 
come off. They are nothing but a collection of horse 
traders, who, like Deacon White, are tr^'ing to improve 
their earthly possessions and get one that will stand 
"witliout hitching." Of course doting fathers — some- 
times — and fond mothers, who are always on the job, 
are here with marriageable daughters, making a pleas- 
ing if not a dashing presentation of the American 
beauty, — a prize for any man. Here is also the young 
man whose father is at home working hard to accumu- 
late more money to maintain his son in ease and luxury. 
He has the latest cuts and styles in dress; and there 
is not a line or mark on his face to indicate that he 
ever associated with a serious thought much less a 
day's work, whether for eight hours or less. And the 

267 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

''old boy" is h-ere too. He has seventy summers to his 
credit, more or less; and his young wife is just past 
twenty. He is trying to keep step with her youth and 
beaut}^ and enthusiasm, and she is trying to impress 
every one that she is the ''old man's darling" and "his 
alone" and that her cup of joy and happiness is full 
and overflowing. Then, too, some of these old boys 
are here inspecting the flock with a view of making a 
purchase of one that is sound, that is one that has no 
pink eye, curb, spavin or ingrowing toe nails, — one 
that is just budding out into a beautiful rose, a red 
one preferred, one of Hamiltonian birth, with perfect 
ankles and shapely feet and a high, gracefully carried 
head. Ah! Some of them are stunning! They are 
dreams. They have tulle and lingerie festooned butter- 
fly-like about the body, matching gowns of the latest 
creation. The gowns are low at the top, but not too 
low, and high at the bottom but not too high; and they 
have boots that Cleopatra would have given one of her 
admirers' kingdoms to possess. Many "pie women" 
were in evidence, that is, those quite large and sub- 
stantial in every way. They had diamonds in their 
heels and diamonds on their toes; they had diamonds 
on their fingers and diamonds in their ears. They had 
ropes of diamonds and pearls around their necks and 
clusters of diamonds on their throbbing chests; many 
of them were "queens" in all respects except that they 
were "pie women" all the time. And there were men 
with large, red, rough faces, with sailor gaits and dia- 
mond studs like Venus in the sky, with. finger rings set 
like automobile lights on top, and with bunions on their 
feet from work and care. No preacher, no professor 
and no literary man was there. The price was $8.00 

268 



PALM BEACH, FLORIDA 

or more a day; and, being modest, such a man sought 
the attic around the corner where he could think and 
communicate and play with the spirits Divine. The 
rewards of life's duties and occupations are not always 
the same, neither are they in proportion to the mental 
and physical labor performed. The happy man or 
woman is the one who has good health and is surrounded 
with simple pleasures and congenial friends and en- 
vironments. These things cause the isolated cottage to 
be always uppermost in the mind, the cottage in which 
a sip of tea, a crust of bread, a flower and a ray of 
sunshine give true welcome, and where the tired one 
may take a rest and give nature time to knit up the 
raveled sleeve of care. 

Palm Beach is located on an island, with Lake Worth 
on one side and the great Atlantic Ocean on the other. 
This island is onl}^ a few hundred feet across, but miles 
in length. Only a small portion has been improved. 
Mr. Flagler paid $10,000 for all his land in Palm 
Beach. He built the Poinciana, facing Lake Worth. 
Back of it and facing the Atlantic Ocean, he built the 
Breakers. One of these hotels has 1,500 rooms, and was 
the largest in the world at the time it was built, and 
the other has 500 rooms. The former is the social cen- 
ter, with afternoon teas, music, song and dancing day 
and night. Here are the bright lights of city life in 
all its forms and impulses; and here is a display of 
rich gowns and wardrobes, jewels and beautiful women. 
All about are large verandas with little nooks and cor- 
ners where congenial guests can coo and exchange little 
pleasantries as the bird of time flies by, in some cases 
never to return again. 

The choicest words are sought, and they are spoken 

269 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

with voices so tuned as to render the sweetest music 
to please or suppress the true feelings of the individuals 
speaking. The owners of these sweet voices hope to 
win in the end or to discard on short notice and make a 
new venture. To them, nothing is real, yet all is real. 
It is human life — to reveal the best and conceal the 
worst — to tolerate or to forget. Life is one sweet dream, 
if we will it so, wherever our lots may be cast. Mr. 
Flagler knew human nature, so he built the Poinciana, 
knowing that women w^ould attend the fair with millions 
of dollars on display, and knowing, also, that mere 
man would come to take a peep at the procession and 
humbly pay the bills. Things are now coming to his in- 
vestment as he, years ago, designed and planned. Others 
have bought on the island, near to and all around his 
original purchase. Beautiful and costly residences have 
V)een built and others are being built. Some will cost 
hundreds of thousands of dollars. The Phipps's are 
building a magnificent residence facing the ocean. The 
most of the new costly homes will face the ocean. Rich- 
ard Croker, of New York City, owns a mile of ocean 
frontage. This was purchased years ago for $5.00 a 
front foot. He spends his Winters in a bungalow- 
erected thereon, with the sunshine all about him and 
with the deep blue ocean for his picture in front. He 
is eighty years of age, or more; but he dances and 
cavorts around like a man of twenty-one. He is ap- 
parently no older than his young Indian wife. For 
exercise, he works on his lawn. White Hall is Mr. 
Flagler's palatial home facing on Lake Worth. It is 
now occupied by his widow and her new husband. Mr. 
Flagler erected a memorial church here, and one at 
Miami. The new bride and her husband attended 

270 



PALM BEACH, FLORIDA 

church, and she was smiling and seemed quite happy. 
Women as well as men do get lonely at times, and act 
''for better or for worse." The location of this beauti- 
ful home on the lake instead of the ocean is hard to 
understand. The sewerage from the hotels and resi- 
dences facing on the lake empties through pipes ex- 
tending, not exceeding twenty feet, into the lake. As 
the town grows, this will become a serious menace to 
the health of the inhabitants. Much of the garbage is 
thrown back of the hotels and residences, and a slight 
odor is detected coming therefrom. The mosquitoes 
were alive; they were on the march, and making up 
for lost time; and they were very busy. The drinking 
water comes from a fresh- water lake. This is an arti- 
ficial lake dug in the ground a short distance away. 
It supplies West Palm Beach and Palm Beach with 
drinking water, such as it is. The natives who are able 
buy distilled water, and many tourists do likewise. 

The island is filled with snakes. A friend took me 
on an outing through the residential section. We had a 
trip along the ocean drive. Our automobile ran over 
six snakes in the residential section, without killing one. 
They were crossing the street from one side to the other, 
making a visit to a neighbor. However, I am inclined 
to think snakes are no worse than dogs. Fat women, 
slim women, short women, and young women have their 
pet dogs with them. When, they all appear in the even- 
ing to give their dogs exercise and an airing one must 
pause to consider whether he is in a hotel or a kennel. 
Some dogs have short tails and some have long tails; 
some are white, some red, some black, and so on. The 
front feet of some bend out and then in, cause the 
toes to meet. I thought this funny. After watching 

271 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

such a dog walk, I wanted to give it a nickel out of sym- 
pathy. Some of the dogs have pet names, and the own- 
ers of others call out, ''Come, my baby." The owners 
lift them up, sit down in a chair and hug them closely 
to their bosoms as if they were children. All at once a 
dog has a bite, at some place on its body, possibly in- 
flicted by a flea or ''jigger" picked up in the grass. 
After the bite it goes mousing all over its body and 
possibly it has more bites than one. In due time its 
labors cease and it triumphantly looks up into the 
"mother's" face, protrudes its tongue, and kisses the 
fond "mother" by licking her lips, without first wash- 
ing its mouth, and soon after having chased the flea 
all over its diminutive body. 

The wheel chair and bicycle are the popular modes 
of conveyance for young men and women, but the old 
people stick to the chairs propelled by the bicycle. There 
are men dudes, too. They dress two or three times 
a day. One bachelor from New York wanted the cuffs 
on his trousers raised a "shadow"; so he engaged a 
Florida cracker to do it ; he raised them a half inch and 
charged him $1.75. He was mad; and the more he 
talked about it, the shorter they seemed to become, 
as he saw them. Florida is supposed to be a prohibition 
State, but if one joins certain clubs which exist here, 
he can live high. The proprietor of one of the hotels 
appeared one evening in full dress; and along about 
three o'clock in the morning, he began to break dishes. 
Over one hundred were destroyed, and he made so much 
noise that his guests across the way were disturbed. 
One of them arose and, picking up a slop jar filled with 
waste, dashed it through the window. When it struck 
the side-walk below, the noise could have been heard two 

272 



PALM BEACH, FLORIDA 

blocks away. This was having a good time all around, 
and it was a fitting way to close one day and approach 
the next. The story of Palm Beach would not be com- 
plete were I to leave out the ''Bradley Club." That 
is the club the common people attend when properly 
recommended, and such recommendation is not hard to 
obtain. ]\Ien and women in attendance must appear 
in full dress. Large stakes are played for, by both men 
and women. We know this is so, because it is estimated 
that the owners will clear $1,000,000 this year. They 
pay the city of Palm Beach more than $100,000 per an- 
num for permission to operate. They have another club 
establishment in a quiet place. The building has the 
appearance of a financial institution, a bank, with mas- 
sive columns in front. Here the most select are ad- 
mitted, — those who do not want to be seen at the other 
place. Curtains are drawn, there is no music. All is 
quiet and secluded. No doubt a stiff gentleman's game, 
known only to the inner circle, is often staged there. 
What is $100,000 or so to some men with choice wine 
and good things to eat? It is all right there; but when 
you are assigned at a table to partake of a simple meal 
as a law abiding and God-fearing individual, and you 
see a man toss dollars for tips to the waiters, in the open 
where all can see it, then and there, in your heart you 
pronounce him vulgar. He sets the pace that humiliates 
you and belittles your income. It is vulgar, and no 
gentleman will so advertise his gifts and charities. Such 
men and women make it hard for those who follow, 
especially for those who are educated and have refined 
feelings and bearings, who are much superior in every 
other way, — although not so fortunate in dollars and 
cents. They are not placed with the get-rich-quick class. 

273 

18 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

They, or their ancestors, failed to make a lucky stroke 
on the stock exchange or missed out on oil, coal, coke 
or gas. 

This tipping custom or habit is getting to be a bore 
and a nuisance. Hotels should abolish it; and if they 
desire to make a schedule of prices, let them add so 
nnicli for tips for the servants they underpay. At one 
hotel I heard the porter, in a loud voice, directing the 
bell boys to refuse twenty-five cent tips and accept noth- 
ing less than fifty cents. He called out the baggage 
of a room number that failed to give a tip as a "dead 
one," and this applied to all below twenty-five cents. 
Fifty cents or more was called out as a good one from 
room so and so. All this is demoralizing and a small 
species of grafting which spreads into the business \^^rld 
and often ends in downright stealing by hard pressed 
servants and employes. 



274 



WEST PALM BEACH, FLORIDA 



West Palm Beach, Florida 

IT IS hard to travel in Florida, especially in the 
southern part of the State, because of the lakes, 
swamps and everglades. The State is about 500 
miles long and 150 miles wide, and three railroad sys- 
tems control its transportation. They are rivals and 
they are autocratic in their management, charging all 
the traffic will bear and furnishing nothing without a 
charge. This makes truck gardening uncertain, for the 
freight charges are high and the profits are often lacking. 
This condition affects the citrus fruit proposition, also ; 
and both truck gardeners and fruit growers have to con- 
tend, at every angle, with the commission dealers in 
fruits and foods dn the large cities. These commission 
men are bright ; they know the game and cause many a 
hopeful to die young and step aside for a new^ tourist 
with new funds and unblighted enthusiasm. This scheme 
is operated in a circle and the supply is ever increasing. 
P. T. Barnum said, "a sucker is born every minute"; 
and the truth of this statement is demonstrated here 
every winter. Many people lack imagination and never 
see the end until the cash is gone. The}^ never know it 
is night until the.y get lost in the dark. 

Only five per cent of the land in Florida is under 
cultivation. The soil is sandy; and without fertiliz- 
ation, it possesses no power to grow or sustain cultivated 
life. It is absolutely impossible to grow anything with- 
out putting into the soil the essentials to feed and sus- 
tain vegetable life. God has created certain forms of 
vegetation to exist and grow in such climates for the pur- 
pose of producing a soil which will produce the food 

275 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

necessary for human and animal life. Florida was set- 
tled too soon, by 50,000 years or more, and nature did not 
have time to prepare a top soil to grow things. The State 
has a population of about 800,000 people. These people 
have to contend not only with a bad soil and high freight 
rates, but with vermin, microbes and parasites by the 
billions. The air above and the soil beneath are crowded 
with them, and they are all bent on attacking human 
beings and animal and vegetable life. Nothing escapes. 
There is something devoting itself to the destruction 
and consumption of everything that exists or attempts 
to live. Life is one constant struggle. This is what 
they have to pay for sunshine and the mild Winters. 
A fly eats the lettuce. A weevil eats the corn in the 
field; the same insect follows it to the crib and when 
the corn is ground up, this destructive creature is found 
in the bin. It will destroy corn in six months. No 
Florida corn can be bought in the feed stores. All of 
it is shipped from the North. A white fly eats the orange 
leaves and discolors the orange by making it black. 
Another insect eats into the skin of the orange, making 
it rough. The natives then call it the rustic orange 
and try to make the purchaser believe that it is another 
species. A scale and a scab go after the life of the 
orange tree ; a red spider does much damage also. Moss, 
an air plant, lights down to crush the life out of the tree. 
Then a worm or grub goes after the roots, and they 
call this dry rot. With Jack Frost to combat and with 
a market first up and then down, the growing of oranges 
is lively and interesting. Then, too, the orange growers 
of Florida are negligent in the care and attention given 
to their groves. This gives the enemies full swing, arrl 
when they have finished in one grove they move ovei 

276 



WEST PALM BEACH, FLORIDA 



to a neighboring one for a friendly call. After a ten- 
years' experience, you will know more than you did at 
the beginning, unless you have disposed of your grove 
in the meantime to some tourist ''lamb" who is ''wise" 
and wants to invest — that is reduce — his surplus. The 
ground must be fertilized, and this costs from $50 to 
$300 an acre. If you fertilize to-day and a big rain 
falls to-morrow or next day, your fertilizer goes into 
the sand and you have to do it over again. Irrigation, 
in places and at times, is necessary, although the aver- 
age annual rainfall in the State is about sixty-five inches. 
The kind of fertilizer to be used varies with the land 
you are cultivating and the kind of things you are try- 
ing to grow. Too much, too little or wrong proportions 
will affect the flavor and quality of the food. You are 
compelled to be guided by a chemist, a wise man who 
will keep track of your soil from time to time for a 
reasonable compensation. Clover, blue grass, alfalfa, 
timothy, oats, wheat, rye and barley cannot be produced 
in the State, for they will not grow. This makes diversi- 
fication of crops an impossibility and constant fertiliz- 
ation an absolute necessity. The corn weevil eliminates 
corn, commercially. This eliminates Florida in the pro- 
duction of animal foods. Her wealth is reduced to citrus 
fruits, vegetables and tourists. In the latter she has 
promise of great future wealth as the population of the 
United States increases. She has a monopoly in vege- 
tables for four months of the Winter season. Only two 
grasses will grow on lawns and golf grounds, — St. Au- 
gustine and Bermuda. For stock feed, she produces 
cowpeas, hay, sorghum, velvet beans, soy beans, pea- 
nuts, sugar cane. Natal hay, Kudzn and Kaffir corn. 
Most of these feeds have to struggle to escape being 

277 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

destroyed by pests and parasites. Sugar cane is de- 
stroyed by a worm that bores into the center of the stock. 
Caterpillars and moths get after the velvet bean. So it 
is with vegetables. The Salamander destroys the sweet 
potato; insects frolic in the cabbage, the celery, the 
onions, etc; while the cane borer, the weevil borer, the 
frog'-hop, bugs and mites, are ever present. Horses 
cannot live on the feed that grows in Florida. Nearly 
all that is given them comes from the North, The horses 
are so reduced, in a short time, that they look as if they 
were near the boneyard. Mules get along- much better. 
So with the dairies. Feed for the cows must be shipped 
in. This makes milk and butter expensive. The making- 
of dairy products is out of the question. The tick sucks 
the life blood out of the cattle. As you drive over the 
ranges you will see cattle just able to stand up. Occa- 
sionally one gets so weak that it is unable to rise, so it 
tears up the ground and in a short time dies from the 
neglect of man. The tick can be eliminated if the owners 
will follow the instructions of the Government. The 
razor-back hog runs wild and makes its own living', eat- 
ing nuts, snakes, roots and grasses. It weighs from 
70 to 120 pounds, and makes good bacon. All the hogs 
are black, as none but dark colored hogs can live in the 
climate on account of the excessive heat. Berkshires, 
Poland-Chinas, Jerseys and such breeds are doing fairly 
well on food shipped in from the outside. This makes 
pork expensive. Native feed, such as peanuts, potatoes 
and beans, does not produce the same kind of meat that 
corn produces. The meat is soft and flabby. The native 
beef is the same, on account of the same conditions; 
and the carcass does not weigh more than from 300 to 
500 pounds. This gives to the natives a cheaper meat 

278 



WEST PALM BEACH, FLORIDA 

than can be obtained from the corn-fed cattle, but it is 
inferior in quality and flavor. It is the poor man's 
meat, and it is unwise for Florida to do anything more 
than try to supply the wants of those who are unable 
to pay for the higher grades. The State does produce 
large quantities of Irish and sweet potatoes, peppers, 
beans, egg plant, onions, cabbage, cucumbers, straw- 
berries, radishes, beets, lettuce, celery, pineapples, sugar 
cane, rice, tobacco and cotton. The products of the soil 
of Florida amount to about $70,000,000 per annum. 

These things are produced in the central and southern 
sections of the State. The tomato and pepper section is 
just north of Miami, and pine apples are produced, by 
the mile, south of West Palm Beach. The same root will 
produce a pineapple each year for several years. They, 
like tomatoes and peppers, are tender and easily injured 
by frost. The production of the pecan is not profitable. 
The grapefruit is the finest in the world, but the crops 
are too large and the prices too low. They are also 
as susceptible to frost as oranges. Next to the tourists 
and the parasites, Irish potatoes seem to be the most 
sure crop. The sand flies, the sand fleas, the mosquitoes 
and the common fly are the tourists' companions. They 
are here by the billions, and he can take some of them 
to bed with him every night. Some are very nice for 
they do not sing or give any warning ; they simply make 
you aware that you are not at home. 

West Palm Beach is a town of from 5,000 to 6,000 
people, located on Lake Worth, an expansion of the 
Indian River. It divides this city from Palm Beach, 
which is located on the opposite side of the lake. The 
tourists, in appearance, resemble those that stop at St. 
Petersburg. This town has some creditable stores and 

279 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

is more of a commercial center than Palm Beach. The 
hotels are more like boarding houses and the cooking 
is better, but accommodations are limited and tourists 
are held up the same as elsewhere. 

Marl soil is simply limestone disintegrated. Muck 
soil, or marl, is largely made from idle weeds which 
grow and make muck. This is the character of the soil 
in the Everglades. In a few months, it will grow two 
feet in diameter, and sometimes it grows twenty feet 
high, then falls over and dies. Poison dew gets on 
grasses and affects the corn also. This is bad for stock, 
especiall}^ horses. During the Winter season the dif- 
ferent counties have fairs. Horses are seldom seen. The 
exhibits consist of fruit and vegetables, poultry, cattle 
and hogs. Most of the poultry, cattle and hogs come 
from the Northern States. Some have been here a few 
months longer than others, and these are taken from 
county to county and exhibited as Florida cattle, etc., 
for the benefit of the tourists, most of whom never 
worked on a farm and know little about stock. They are 
used like a mascot and no doubt produce results by 
causing tourists to make ''permanent investments" — 
of the unjudicious and unprofitable kind. Fine live 
stock cannot be produced in this State because of the 
character of the feed. Even poultry must have feed 
shipped in from the North. 

On the road to "West Palm Beach Ave stopped at 
Titusville, a town of possibly 800 people. This is the 
famous Indian River Section, which is considered the 
best for fruit in Florida. A man told me he felt sure 
Mr. Thomas Taggart of Indiana had a famous spring 
which cured rheumatism, gout and old age. He be- 
lieved ''Tom" emptied Epsom Salt into this spring by 

280 



WEST PALM BEACH, FLORIDA 

the carload and that this was really doing the work. 
However that may be, the hotel where I stopped had 
a spring that contained Epsom Salt, for the proprietor 
told me it was as good as Tom Taggart's. I drank 
plenty, and I concluded he was a wise old lad and knew 
what the people needed. The method was immaterial 
so long as results were obtained. The sewers emptied 
into the lake; garbage is thrown out over the fence; 
and drinking water is rain water held in cisterns. The 
buzzards are numerous. 

An island just across the lake is occupied by many 
truck gardeners. Melbourne is a small town not far 
below. On one occasion a fire broke out on the island in 
the pine woods; and snakes of all kinds, especially dia- 
mond rattlesnakes, started for the water and began to 
swim towards the town of Melbourne, causing almost 
a riot among the people. As they swam they held their 
heads as well as their tails above water; they did not 
want to get their rattlers wet. The timber and swamps 
of Florida are filled with snakes, the diamond rattle- 
snake and the moccasin being the most dangerous. IMany 
hunters lose their bird dogs as a result of snake bites. 
Many of the natives wear leggings to escape the snakes. 
Some of these snakes are seven and eight feet long, 
and can swallow a rabbit at one meal. 

Our itinerary next brings us to Coaco and Lock- 
ridge, two good tourist towns on the Indian river. These 
towns have good hotels. Fort Pierce, with its famous 
mosquitoes, is not far away. The harvest of tourists 
was so bountiful in the Winter of 1916-1917 that these 
to\vns charged from $5 to $10 a night and smiled as if 
they never expected to get another chance. The next 
place is Stuart, a few miles north of West Palm Beach. 

281 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

This is where President Cleveland, one of the best Pres- 
idents the United States ever had, and Joseph Jefferson, 
like whom there never was another, met to throw in the 
line, smoke and tell true stories about fish. This estab- 
ished its reputation. It is a pleasant town, where fish- 
ermen alone congregate for sport. George W. Perkins, 
the Moose, has a fine home on an island in the river 
here. The climate is fine and the catches are good. 



282 



MIAMI, FLORIDA 



Miami, Florida 

FROM Palm Beach it is sixty-six miles to Miami, one 
of the most popular tourist towns in the State. It 
has a population of about 20,000. It is not an old 
town, Mr. Flagler's enterprises having made it possible. 
Many of the buildings are of the latest designs and mod- 
ern, and there is a tendency to build them of white mate- 
rial with a roof of red tile. This gives a beautiful, pleas- 
ing contrast ; and, if carried out extensively in the future, 
it will make Miami one of the most attractive as w^ell 
as one of the finest wintering towns in America. The 
streets should be widened, grades should be made bet- 
ter, and excessively high buildings should be prohibited. 
No building should be more than four or five stories in 
height. Miami cannot and should not be made a com- 
mercial or manufacturing town. It would be easy to 
make it a Winter garden of beauty and luxury, perfect 
in design and finish, with fine shops and trading stores 
and with delightful houses, whose big lawns would be 
restful, simple and pleasing to the eye. These lawns 
should be kept clean and made attractive with tropical 
plants, flowers and shrubbery, artistically placed and 
arranged. Miami should employ a landscape artist to 
make the beginning and setting right. Beauty brings 
riches, wealth and the multitude. Mr. Flagler had 
this conception of Miami ; and he purchased the finest 
site there and erected thereon one of the most home- 
like hotels in America. This hotel is well managed, and 
the treatment of guests is most gracious and pleasing. 
The grounds are commanding and beautiful, with palms 
and tropical plants, flowers, etc., and it is well named 

.2.83 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

the Royal Palm. A mound existed where the hotel is 
built, and on this spot the Seminole Indians once met 
and planned. It was used as the chief home of the 
tribe. It had to be removed to make room for the 
hotel. The Miami River empties into Biscayne Bay 
at the back of the hotel grounds, and the bay spreads 
out for three miles to the east. This made it a very 
fitting' place for Chief Osceola and his tribe. 

The sanitation is not the best. The sewers empty 
into the bay only a few feet away from the residences. 
The bay is substantially a stationary body of water. In 
time, as the population increases, evils will come from 
this policy. The drinking water is obtained from wells 
dug within the corporate limits at a depth of 800 feet. 
Because of the high price of fertilizers, the garbage is 
hauled out and spread upon the farm lands, and possi- 
bly some does not go out very far. Around every town 
in Florida, you see one thing that is not pleasing to 
strangers or visitors. It is the buzzards in the air. Buz- 
zards are useful for one thing only, — to pick up the 
filth; and they stay around where it exists. Miami 
should cause them to move to Palm Beach; or at least 
they should be induced to leave Miami. Good water 
and sanitary disposal of sewerage and garbage are essen- 
tial to the health and progress of every town. I saw 
buzzards at Tampa, Lakeland, Orlando, Palm Beach, 
and in every town I visited; but I was disappointed 
when I saw them in the beautiful little town of Miami. 

Some tourists made unkind remarks about the hotels, 
rooming houses and restaurants. These remarks were 
justifiable, for, with some exceptions, they charged ex- 
horbitantly for the services rendered, and the cooking 
was miserable. A man and wife in little cheap hotels 

284 



MIAMI, FLORIDA 

were charged as high as $18 a night. One woman and 
child were charged $6 for an inside room without a 
window. This spirit prevails all over the State. Califor- 
nia never treats its tourists that way. It deals with them 
on the square, and gives them the best things to eat in the 
world. Hotels, rooming places, and restaurants make 
but little advances in the tourist season. But many 
Floridians "bagged" all the game they could get, and 
in some cases their charges were only this side of high- 
way robbery. Many hotels had no schedule of prices, 
but ' ' shook you down ' ' for all you would stand. Hence 
many tourists remarked: ''There are many buzzards 
in the air and many buzzards on tlie ground, and those 
in the air are smaller than those on the ground." The 
Flagler hotels are not in this class. They have strictly 
one price to all, give you good things to eat and the 
"choicest things" all around you to select from. The 
only question to be answered is, "Can I afford to stay 
and pay the regular rate?" 

In this respect, Miami is no exception to the other 
towns in the State. However, new modern hotels and 
apartment buildings are being built, and this will im- 
prove these conditions in the future. It has electric 
light, water and gas, and a street railway with three 
miles of track and six cars. It contains six banks with 
a deposit of $10,000,000, a good percentage of which 
belongs to tourists. The town is less than five feet above 
sea level. This makes the drainage problem more diffi- 
cult to handle. The Everglades surround the town and 
extend as far north as Palm Beach and west almost to 
the Gulf of Mexico. They consist of nearly 2,000,000 
acres of land that are nothing more than a swamp. A 
large portion of this area is covered with water and in 

285 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

some cases the water is two to three feet deep. All the 
water in Florida is subterranean, — that is it seeps down 
through the sand and appears at a lower level in the 
form of a swamp or a lake. The State is thus filled with 
lakes and flowing springs, some of which are very large 
giving forth a volume of water sufficient to form a small 
river. Lake Okeechobee, just west of Palm Beach, with 
a length of sixtj^-five miles and a width of thirty-five 
miles, is a menace in rainy seasons to the land for miles 
all around it, for it not only overflows, but also causes 
much seepage to find its way there from under ground. 
The State is trying to overcome this by tapping the lake 
with canals ten feet deep by sixty feet wide. Six of 
these canals have already been constructed and have 
matrially reduced the volume of water in the lake, espe- 
cially during dry periods. In time, the Everglades will 
be drained. 

Carl Fisher, Hannan, the shoeman, and another 
gentleman went over on the Beach and are expending 
large sums of money to make that section a fine residen- 
tial place. Each has erected a costly and magnificent 
home, and they are now talking of erecting a $1,000,000 
hotel. If these men continue in this line, and do the 
things they sa}^- they are going to do, they will make 
the Beach one of the finest water resorts in America. The 
climate and the ocean with its sandy beach move these 
men to spend large sums of money for the pleasure and 
amusement of the public, and the public in the end 
pays the bill for being satisfied. 

William J. Bryan has a simple modest home just 
north of the city. His home is well surrounded by 
beauty and Avealth, and, if environments have anything 
to do with a man's thinking capacity, he ought to think 

286 



MIAMI, FLORIDA 

good thouglits. Mr. Bearing, just around tlie corner 
from Brj^an, has about 200 acres upon which he is 
building a home, with other improvements, costing 
$2,500,000. He is a single man about fifty years of age 
and a member of the International Harvester Trust. 
He can entertain Bryan, and I am sure Brj^an can enter- 
tain him. Why this j^oung man is expending so much 
for a home no one knows. He has made a canal to run 
along the side of his residence so he can embark from 
his yacht without much exertion. His father would 
never have done this. Possibly this is why Bryan is 
strong to tax the ''unearned increment and excessive 
profits." It is said that in early days the pirates made 
a cave in the bank not far from Bryan's residence. 
From this cave, they obtained fresh drinking water to 
strengthen them to pursue the rich and make them dis- 
gorge their supposed wealth. Possibly Bryan had some 
design or motive in getting near the ''Punch Bowl," 
for that is what it is called. Perhaps he wanted to get 
inspiration so he would have the strength to get after 
the idle rich and make them deliver to the public, for 
the good of the public, the surplus for which the}^ have 
no particular use, except to do further "harm." The 
cave has steps built and one can still pass in and out 
with ease. 

You cannot suppress the real estate man. He has 
subdivided acreage into lots out as far as eight and 
ten miles; and if the purchaser undertook to locate his 
lot he would get lost in the swamps. They call some 
of them "nigger lots," that is, they are twenty-five feet 
in width. These are auctioned off every afternoon and 
evening, for what they will bring. They value them at 
$40 each. The women are given a box of candy and 

287 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

while they bite the candy the men bite the lots as a 
''venture." This is a long time "investment." Six 
lots are made from one acre. Land values and lot values 
are up so high the}" are seeking admission in the place 
above. Agriculturally and horticulturally speaking, all 
land in Florida is worthless, except as a place to stand 
on and keep out of the water. No fruits or foods grow 
here without fertilization, and some land requires more 
fertilizing than others. 

The pepper and tomato section is about fifteen miles 
north. Peters is called the ''Tomato King." Years 
ago he began truck gardening. Conditions were favor- 
able at first, and fortune smiled on him. Now if he 
loses, he is out his fertilizers, labor and seed. If he 
wins he makes a ' ' killing. ' ' This year he has eight hun- 
dred acres in tomatoes, planted since the February, 
1917, frost. He raises other vegetables and is an exten- 
sive operator in many lines. His success has ruined 
hundreds of imitators, w^ho failed because of their lack 
of knowledge, lack of funds, and lack of proper condi- 
tions, prices being up one year and down the next. 
Towns and scores of farm houses have been vacated. 
The frost destroyed the tomatoes and peppers in De- 
cember, 1916. The new crop in February, 1917, went 
the same way; and another has been started. The evi- 
dence of wealth from elsewhere abounds all around. 
Thirty or more private yachts are anchored in the bay. 

Many private cars are on the sidetracks. Diamonds 
are as thick as strawberries in a box. Buildings and 
improvements have been erected from money made else- 
where, where snow and ice and cold and the four seasons 
frolic and play with one another — tag as it were. Such 
is life — a struggle. 

288 



KEY WEST, FLORIDA 



Key West, Florida 

FROM Miami to Key West it is 156 miles. The 
route is on one of the most interesting railroads, 
through land and over water and islands. For 
uniqueness and daring of enterprise, this road is sur- 
passed nowhere in the world. We pass through the 
swamps of the southern part of the Everglades for miles 
upon miles; and we go through Florida City, Home- 
stead, and other places where some pioneers have settled 
and are attempting to conquer and overcome many ob- 
stacles and to make the land blossom into flowers and 
bring forth fruits and foods so plentifully as to reward 
their hardships by giving them a competence. It takes 
courage and faith in the future for individuals of moder- 
ate means to isolate themselves thus. Here are men who 
have struggled along until they have reached old age. 
Their youth and life and enthusiasm are all behind them ; 
and now they are waiting for the final call to end the 
failures and disappointments they have met, experienced 
and mostly forgotten. As we glide along these swamps 
we notice that they are covered with saw grass and 
scrubby bushes. The soil is saturated with water and in 
places the water is collected in pools on the surface. The 
land is treeless and without animal life. Many years 
ago, it was pushed just a foot or so above the sea by an 
earthquake. Next we pass onto the water over a con- 
crete trestle, a continuous bridge built on the solid rock 
of the ocean, the water, in some places, being thirty 
feet deep. We go from island or key to key, some 
of the islands being seven miles apart and others not 
so far. 

289 
19 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

Strong arch-like constructions of solid masonry make 
the track as safe as on land. The length of the road is 
about seventy miles, and it cost millions of dollars. The 
framework extends about three feet on each side of the 
rails. In one place, a drawbridge was built to protect nav- 
igation. Along the track on the keys, small villages are 
established where section men who look after the track 
have built their homes. Much of the limestone or con- 
crete was obtained from the bottom of the sea, temporary 
tracks being built out along the side where steam shovels 
would dig down and bring it up. One peculiar charac- 
teristic of this material is that it hardens on exposure to 
the atmosphere. Jetties of the same material are placed 
along the track in places to protect the road bed from 
damage by sea storms. And thus the energy and wealth 
of Henry M. Flagler, Standard Oil money, was invested 
to further commerce, to cause new enterprises to spring 
up and develop a barren waste and make it rich in 
the production of fruits and vegetables and foods for all 
mankind. Thus was this "tainted" money invested to 
make foods more plentiful and living less expensive. 

In the forenoon we arrived safely, by rail, at Key 
West. This is a town of about 20,000 people, located on 
one of the larger Florida keys, an island about one mile 
wide and seven miles long. This town is very old ; and the 
buildings, hotels and dwellings, do not deceive their 
looks. They are odd in construction, and most of them 
were painted when first built and have not been painted 
since. They have porches and awnings and piazzas of 
Spanish designs; and there are closed blinds at the 
windows so that the occupants, like typical Spaniards, 
are hidden from public view in the privacy of their 
homes. However, in the evening twilight they venture 

290 



KEY WEST, FLORIDA 

out for fresh air and to see the activity without. The 
population is mixed. It comprises many Cubans, some 
Spanish, colored people, and the Florida ''Crackers." 
Tourists, mostly, make it a one or two days' stand. It 
is the starting point for Havana, Cuba, Tampa and New 
Orleans. This travel is quite heavy during the winter 
months. The hotel accommodations are very poor, other- 
wise it might become a popular tourist point; for the 
climate is fine, the temperature seldom going below fifty 
or rising above ninety, and there is a fine breeze at night, 
permitting rest and sleep. It is also a naval station with 
extensive fortifications, a marine hospital and barracks 
of the United States Government, with a small body of 
officers and men in charge. These men walking about 
the city in their uniforms add tone and make an addition 
to the social and business life of the town. This is 
needed, for the town is quite dead. All the visitor can 
do is to go to the swimming pool or the ocean and bathe ; 
and this is quite fortunate, for the hotels are devoid of 
the luxuries of bathing privileges. As ''cleanliness is 
next to godliness" one would not be in this town if it 
were not for the gulf and the ocean. These enable him 
to keep a clean body, and a clean body does help quite 
materially to keej) the mind clean. The other diversion 
is dancing, and the girls could not exist without the 
blessed privilege of dancing. With good motives, this 
is one of the noblest accomplishments; it gives elasticity 
to the step and grace and beauty to the movement of 
the body, and these create and encourage the refining 
graces. 

A few invalids have congregated here because of the 
climate, yet it is a healthy town and there are few deaths. 
Only one undertaker is here, and he does only a fair 

291 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

business. However, they have plenty of lawyers, dentists 
and doctors. I think they are here mostly for their own 
health, rather than business. The sanitary condition of 
the town is not the best. The drinking water is rain 
water, held in cisterns. The sewer system is the gutter 
along the side-walk. New England and Northern cities 
would mob the city council in twenty-four hours if such 
disposition of the sewage were attempted as here. I have 
often felt that some people live and get fat on smells of 
filth which is all around them, while other people worry 
themselves sick over the microbes that promenade around 
in silk hats, canes and white shoes, allowing these things 
to drive them into sleepless nights and the insane asylum. 
Be this as it may, I object to the sewer being my com- 
panion day and night. I want the microbes to battle 
with one another and not with me. On this subject I am 
with William J. Bryan 's ' ' peace at any cost. ' ' The garb- 
age is thrown in barrels placed anywhere out of the way, 
and when they are filled the contents are removed and 
burned. Nothing is raised or grown on the island. All 
food and raw material are shipped in. But few factories 
are here except cigar factories and they are small. About 
4,000 persons are employed in these factories and the 
pay-roll amounts to about $40,000 a week. This is the 
chief industry and the life of the town. 

All the tobacco comes from Cuba. They use no 
Florida tobacco. They claim the Cuban tobacco is su- 
perior in texture and flavor because of the better soil and 
climate existing there. The Florida leaf, when wrapped 
around a cigar, in a very short time becomes dry and 
brittle and then cracks, causing loss and dissatisfaction. 
To keep for any length of time, they must be moist. This 
is not the case with the Cuban tobacco. 

292 



KEY WEST, FLORIDA 

A few years ago, Tampa offered land and cash to many 
of the factories here. This offer was accepted, and it 
resulted in loss to Key West and gain to Tampa. The 
business is not growing here. Another industry, which 
extends up the coast, is hunting for sponges. A fine 
sponge is found here and placed on the market. The 
coral and the sponge, both members of the animal king- 
dom, go hand in hand. The sponge grows at the bottom 
of the sea. It is dirtj^ and hard when found. It is taken 
and cleaned with fresh water, and is beaten and treated 
until it becomes soft and elastic and fit for market. 
There are several species, of all shapes and sizes, some 
resembling coral rock, which is the secretion of tiny 
sea animals. These strange creatures feed and live in 
the seas, and the sponge goes to the bathroom and 
serves many wants of man; while the coral makes a 
solid rock foundation, to form islands, and enable a 
Flagler to build a railroad into the sea. Before he did 
this, his road was a losing proposition. When it was 
completed he was within ninety miles of the rich isl- 
ands of the West Indies. He put on one barge, then 
two barges, and ran trains loaded with freight by 
barge transportation to and from Havana; and his 
road started on to financial success. Thus the coral and 
island keys, with millions of dollars to command and 
use them, are in the service of mankind for its good, 
benefit and welfare. So it is with all things divine, 
if we can learn to know and use them with wisdom 
and for some useful, definite purpose. The keys are so 
numerous that they become dangerous to navigation in 
case of storms. Around Key West many storms occur, 
many ships become helpless at sea, and some are lost. 
The danger is so frequent and great that fifty ships 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

with crews are located at Key West to be on guard day 
and night to help vessels in distress. This being a dis- 
tributing point, many ships call at and leave its port. 

The island is less than fifteen feet above the sea. Fish 
and sharks are plentiful and give the fisherman much 
sport. Up toward Fort Myers, the tarpon abound. 
That is not far from this town. Turtles are obtained 
here in commercial quantities. 



294 



SARASOTA, FLORIDA 



Sarasota, Florida 

THIS town has a population of about 4,000 people. 
It is very much like other towns in this State. It is 
located near the Gulf and north from Fort Myers. 
The latter city is on the river about fifteen miles from 
the Gulf, and has a population of about 6,000 people. 
Not far away Mrs. Potter Palmer of Chicago pur- 
chased a large body of land which she is dividing into 
small tracts and selling to tourists. Of course the ' ' Crack- 
ers ' ' have no money, and Mrs. Palmer is not slow to cap- 
italize her prestige and convert her investment into cash 
at an advanced price. She is doing the same as many 
men would do except that she hopes to make it a social 
centre as well as profitable to those who buy. She says 
privately that this State would be the best in the Union 
if it were not for the vermin, pests and parasites. Now 
she is possibly speaking climatically, for the climate 
produces these pests and parasites by the millions. Thej' 
prey upon everything that lives and grows, and there is 
no way to escape or exterminate them. For every one 
you kill there are many more which take its place. You 
have to stand and fight for your right to live, and the 
struggle is not in a good cause. Many tourists make this 
point in the Winter season, for the West coast is milder 
than the East coast. 

Fort Myers is really its rival, for Thomas A. Edison, 
Henry Ford and others have built themselves winter 
homes there, and it is becoming noted for its tarpon and 
devil fishing advantages. Even ex-President Roosevelt 
visits this place for this kind of sport and has the repu- 
tation of catching these game fish. Fisherman put forth 

295 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

so many claims and have told so many stories about fish 
and fishing that in these latter days proper evidence, 
under oath, is required by the multitude before the 
stories are accepted as truths. I have no doubt Roose- 
velt has the proper evidence, for he seems to be always 
loaded when attacked and puts up a defense that many 
readily believe without further argument. 

As for Henry Ford, he is for peace at any price and 
would not engage in taking life, not even the life of a 
fish. He prefers his properly dressed and cooked await- 
ing him in the dining room for the regular, customary 
introduction. 

And as for Thomas A. Edison, there is only one 
Thomas A. Edison. He says but little, thinks much and 
takes things as they come. If the proposition looks good 
to him, it has his approval; and he adopts it and uses 
it regardless of sources or consequences. They say he 
loves to fish whether on the water or in the laboratory. 
Quiet people are said to be good fishermen. 

While at Orlando, I attended a colored church meet- 
ing. It was an awakening of the people in the interest 
of the Lord. They say the natives at Orlando are very 
religious. I believe it is the only town in the State that 
has a Unitarian church. 

The meeting was devoted to song and prayer. The 
songs, with colored voices rendering the music, made it 
truly a religious meeting without prayer. There is a 
volume and melody in their singing that appeals to you 
and makes you feel better if you are inclined toward de- 
pression of spirits. Some of the members were touched 
very much, especially one colored brother with snowy 
white locks, who stood up and asked the brethren and sis- 
ters to join him in prayer. 

296 



SARASOTA, FLORIDA 

With a strong, melodious voice he started out with 
the usual supplications ; and after getting warmed up, he 
said, ''Lord, come down among us to-night, right with 
us, and help us fight our battles with the devil. Give us 
strength and courage. Do not send your Son, for the 
children of this age are disobedient and disrespectful to 
their parents. They are lazy and indolent, given to 
dress and display and wasteful habits. Come down Your- 
self. Do not take the time to open the door, but come 
right down through the roof, through the shingles, and 
join us in this meeting, for we want you and need you. ' ' 

Being in this prayer-meeting reminded me of my 
visit to the Animal Garden at Jacksonville, Florida, 
where I saw some people neither natives nor tourists. 
They were very interesting to me, so much so that I spent 
the afternoon making a study of them. They were in a 
house with a roof and open sides, with rods running up 
and down, the space being divided into three rooms. 

In the first dwelling was a baboon, a large, black, 
homely creature, strong as an ox. He frequently stood 
in an upright position and gazed on his descendants out- 
side around and about him. He was alone in the world, 
having no lady companion to share his abode with him. 
When tired of standing, he would sit down and occa- 
sionally walk around his room. He gave forth the spirit 
of restless discontent at times, yet seemed quite indif- 
ferent to his surroundings. 

But every time a certain large colored woman would 
approach, with a big white apron on a bib, he would 
spring to the side of the cage and grasp the iron bars and 
shake them so hard in an effort to get out that one would 
think his dwelling house would fall down. He would gaze 
at her affectionately, showing his manly disposition, 

297 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

struggling to get free, apparently, so lie could be her 
shield and protector for better or for worse. 

What did it all mean? A nickel for his thoughts. 
Was he taken back to his native home in the woods where 
his youthful days were spent with his own people, who 
were on this earth before man? 

The occupants of the home adjoining were still more 
interesting to me. It was a happy family of father, 
mother, son and baby. Their actions toward one an- 
other, in their natural domestic simplicity, were, at times, 
quite striking and much like the actions of the members 
of the human family. The father acted the part of the 
head of the family. He was grouchy and dictatorial at 
times, then again affectionate and conciliator^^ Occa- 
sionally he would assume the responsibility of correcting 
the baby b.y some form of punishment. It would cry 
and run to its mother, who would take it up in her arms 
and protect it against the wrath of its father. At times 
the two would almost come to blows, when the mother 
would take her baby and ascend a ladder to the roof and 
enter a small cage. The father never attempted to fol- 
low her, but went to one corner of the room and lay down. 
Shortly, the baby would venture out, cautiously and care- 
fully, making a survey of the surroundings and he would 
be closely followed by the mother. They both would de- 
scend, and from all appearances were ready and willing 
to receive callers. 

These family disturbances were frequent, and some- 
times aroused other members of the family. The grown 
son had not forgotten the warm embraces of his mother, 
and occasionally, when the baby was away engaged in 
its frolics, he would steal over to his mother who would 
take him in her arms and embrace him affectionately. 

298 



SARASOTA, FLORIDA 

Soon the baby would see that his brother was most likely 
trying to supplant him in his mother's affection and he 
would forthwith rush over and crawl between the mother 
and son ; and if the son did not move out of the way, the 
baby would bite him. Then he would make his getaway 
quickly and turn and look indignantly at the little baby. 
This seemed to be the length of his disapproval. The 
mother would embrace her baby affectionately and look 
over to her son kindly. This kindly look and this loving 
embrace endeared her to them both and made the domes- 
tic circle once more united and happy. The mother was 
the domestic chain that bound them all as one. Though 
strong and just, she was not always equitable or for the 
best. However, she always meant well. 

This daily life becomes monotonous to mothers and 
they often, like all other creatures, desire and long for 
some diversion. The}^ often want to free themselves, for 
a short time only, to get away from their surroundings, 
and see and enjoy other phases of life, if only to go to a 
'' movie." This is natural and good for them, and it 
keeps them well ph^^sically, intellectually and morally. 
They return with a new spirit in their life and the 
thoughts uppermost in their minds are their home and 
their children. When diversions are scarce then they 
should have some license, at least innocent liberties. 

In the partition, about two feet up, between the 
baboon and this family, was a knothole. The mother 
on two occasions stood up and tried to peep through the 
knothole at the baboon, possibly to see what kind of 
a man he was, for I am sure she had no other acquaint- 
ance with him, otherwise her curiosity would not have 
been aroused. The knothole was not any too large and 
she was not the cause of its being there. 

299 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

The father, apparently, was paying no attention 
to the mother; but on each of these occasions he dis- 
covered her trying to peep through the hole at the 
baboon, and each time he deliberately went over and 
began to box the mother 's ears. She turned, and the 
family spat was on. It was quickly over, but the 
father evidently insisted that the mother's conduct 
must be above criticism, at least ''above suspicion," so 
long as he had the duty of maintaining the family honor. 

Almost immediatelj^ after the second episode, a big 
truck dashed up near by, loaded with sand; and, owing 
to a heavy rain, the ground was soft and it mired down. 
The chauffeur tried hard to move it on and made the 
engine explode fast and loud. The little family became 
excited and gathered near the side facing the truck. 
It saw something new and strange. 

The mother took a position sitting up, with her baby 
clasped tightly to her breast. The father took a like 
position on her left and the grown son did likewise on 
her right ; and thus the family group united in a common 
interest in wonderment at the devil machine without. 
All their faces with a look of distress and fear were 
gazing out to see what would happen next. After a 
few minutes the baby arose and ascended the cage and 
looked over the peoples' heads, watching for some time. 
It finally descended, and on its report the family re- 
turned to its accustomed pursuits, satisfied that no harm 
was coming to the members of that household — only a 
household of moixkeys. 

How like human beings in actions, deeds, impulses 
and sentiment the members of this family seemed to 
be! No wonder Darwin observed, and wrote thoughts 
worthy of a great man for the benefit of the human 

300 



SARASOTA, FLORIDA 

race. "Know thyself," is the great study of man- 
kind, yet we know so little. 

In the next home, alone and lonely, was a monkey 
who offered a lesson full of meaning, sad and impres- 
sive, for all. A saloon keeper in the city once owned 
it and kept it in his saloon as a pet. While it was there 
he taught it to drink beer, and in time it became addicted 
to the drink and insisted on having its refreshment. The 
habit grew on it, and it drank much and often. It 
required a quart of beer at a time. This was great 
sport for the saloon habitues. 

It had become palsied. Yet it was not so old. Its 
arms trembled so badly that it was unable to put its 
hands to its mouth and hold its food long enough so 
it could bite it. Human like, it would walk over to 
a post or rod and place both hands holding the food 
against it; then lean the head forward and eat. This 
kept the food in its place, and thus it had to live. 
Sometimes it would use the floor for this purpose. Its 
nervous system was a wreck, and it was waiting to die. 
It still retained its spirit in every way, but physically 
it was gone. Its hands were beyond its control from 
abuse of its body. So with many people. By neglect 
and abuse of the body in many ways they end as this 
poor monkey had ended, a physical wreck. Young 
men should profit by the mistakes of others. They 
should observe the laws of health and be temperate 
in all things; and they will grow old beautifully and 
grandly, in possession of all their faculties. 



301 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 



Fort Myers, Florida 

ON MY way from Savannah, Georgia, to Jack- 
sonville, Florida, I secured accommodations 
in the Pullman, the porter taking my grips 
and showing me a seat. Seeing an overcoat on the 
seat, I remarked that it was occupied. He replied that 
we would have to double up, and I said that it was all 
right with me. I rode for miles and miles with no one 
in the seat with me. Finally a little man — little in 
more ways than one — entered the car. He gave every 
appearance of having neuralgia in the stomach. When 
I saw him approaching, I just felt he was the card I 
had drawn and was ready to expect almost anything 
from such a human being. His body was bent and he 
had a thin small face, — a face that had never smiled, 
not even when reflected in a looking-glass. He was the 
sort of individual whose wife and children are relieved 
when the door closes in the morning after him and re- 
gret that the days are so short. They never want to 
see him return, because he brings into the family circle 
rains and storms instead of sunshine and flowers. You 
have known such men; you know them when you see 
them. 

Sure enough he was to be my ' ' partner, ' ' and as his 
coat lay next to the window he was accorded full pos- 
session of that end of the seat. As he sat down, he put 
his right foot on the steam pipes and crowded over 
next to me with his left elbow resting in my side on a 
line parallel with my stomach. He said nothing. I 
said nothing. I did not know how he felt, but imagined 
his feelings. I was amused, and enjoyed the situation 

302 



FORT MYERS, FLORIDA 

immensely. After an hour or so, he leaned over on his 
left elbow and pressed down harder on my vitals. This 
caused me to abandon my ''watchful waiting" and to 
twist my right arm in such a way that he went *'ker- 
chug" against the side of the car. The jolt was suffi- 
cient, and the war of words began. He said he had 
bought that seat from New York City to Jacksonville 
and that I had no right therein. I told him that I had 
purchased my seat from the conductor of the train, 
that I had paid for it, and that the porter had arranged 
for me to occupy it. He said I could not sit there, but 
must sit opposite him. This I told him I would not do, 
not for fifty dollars a day, for his face and disposition 
would affect my appendix, and I dreaded surgeons and 
doctors and avoided all steps leading into their hands. 
He finally got excited, and I informed him that I was 
a crazy man escaping and that if he did not cease talk- 
ing I would throw him out of the window. His remedy 
was to appeal to the officers of the train. This he 
did; and the conductor, mild and gentle, came, heard 
his story and decided against me. I informed the con- 
ductor that I was there by his direction, that he was 
mistaken, and that he showed himself unfamiliar with 
the rules of the Pullman Company and the legal rights 
we each possessed. I told him the stranger bought a 
lower berth from New York City to Jacksonville, to 
stay in at night only, and that during the day the Pull- 
man Company made him a present of one seat, reserv- 
ing the right to sell the other three seats if the upper 
berth was unoccupied and the vacant seats were un- 
disposed of. I stated that I did not desire to keep the 
seat if he would find another like it, but that otherwise 
I would insist upon the return of my money. The 

303 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

conductor then found another seat and called to me to 
take it. When I arose to do so, a gentleman claimed it 
for a lady. Thereupon I undertook to sit down in my 
former seat and discovered that my rival had lain down 
with his head resting where my body found comfort 
amidships. It was amusing to see him squirm and 
twist to get released. I weigh 225 pounds and am slow 
in movement. On this occasion I was very slow. I was 
enjoying myself. This was a New York City tourist. 
I afterwards met some charming people from New 
York City, but Wall Street has really given that city 
a bad name, and the market must have gone against 
this fellow. You meet a few like him occasionally 
everj^where. God permits them to live so that others 
can see their meanness and thus make themselves better 
men and women. 

Once, sitting at a table in the dining-room of a 
very fine hotel, a Boston broker was seated to my left. 
He dressed well, and was bright and very democratic 
and independent. He had an aversion to tipping the 
servants around the hotel, although he was well able 
to do so, as I learned later. He took a dislike to our 
waiter, a colored man, and ignored the custom of 
materially increasing the cost of a mxcal by remember- 
ing the waiter. No one can give a just reason for this 
practice, especially when the hotel management is 
collecting eight or ten dollars a day from each guest, 
but at every meal I, noticed that something was missing 
from this man's plate. He needed a spoon, a fork, a 
knife, or something. One beautiful evening when the 
guests at dinner were in full dress, when the lights were 
shining brighter than usual on flowers and rich furnish- 
ings and when everything was in harmony, the broker 

304 



FORT MYERS, FLORIDA 

appeared and took his seat late. Most of the guests 
had been served. He gave his order and was served, 
whereupon he discovered that he was short a fork. He 
looked everywhere for his waiter, who stood about 
twelve feet behind him; but he was unable to locate 
him. He then leaned back and whistled! Well, the 
head waiter, his first and second assistants, and the 
broker's own waiter with two or three others rushed 
to the table to find out the trouble. It was nothing 
but a fork lacking. But the shock! To think of such 
an occurrence in the midst of all this elegance, refine- 
ment, fashion and display of beautiful gowns and dia- 
monds ! The result was that always afterward he re- 
ceived the most careful attention, even though he still 
refused to tip. 

After all, it was only rudeness, a resenting of the 
imposition of the hotel management in the person of a 
waiter. He thought he was underpaid, and no doubt 
he was. Travelers are imposed upon often and in many 
ways; and it is a credit and an honor to stand up for 
their rights in a firm, dignified manner. Their doing so 
protects travelers who follow after them. 

At another hotel, where there was elegance and re- 
finement all around, I sat near a man of fifty summers, 
more or less, who, with his family, was at dinner. They 
were well decorated with jewels and handsome gowns, 
and he had a diamond stud large and most brilliant. He 
persisted in taking his fork and stirring the little pieces 
of ice in his drinking glass, evidently wanting every 
drop of water to come in contact with the ice. It was 
so quiet in the room that the click of the ice against the 
glass made as much noise as the young man on the street 
working his '^cut out" late at night. 

305 
20 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

So the traveler meets all kinds and classes of people 
from everywhere. Some are up to-day and down to- 
morrow, and there are some who have risen to affluence 
so suddenly that the evidences of their early trials and 
tribulations are still with them. I do not understand 
why people who become rich suddenly make haste for 
the latest fashions. Such fashions fail to harmonize 
with their walk, their habits or their previous training. 
In almost eyery case, such people cover themselves with 
jewelry, especially diamonds. It is often amusing. 
They are not transformed, but deformed. Often thc}^ 
are only the movies, yet quite sensitive as to their social 
standing and position in life. The Florida hotels pre- 
sent all phases of life in the Winter season, both the se- 
rious and the humorous. I never saw anywhere, in my 
life, so many old men with young wives. The old fellows 
think they are young. Each one has divorced the wife 
of his youth or she has passed on and left him alone. 
In most instances they have riches. Now a gay old 
man with riches is a dangerous animal to be permitted 
to run at large. Most of these old fellows are from the 
New England States. Of course munitions of war, oil, 
gas, iron and coke have changed things in many places 
in all the States of New England. I recall one old man 
near seventy with a wife of thirty, and their two 
children. He was taking muscular exercise on all 
occasions. When his wife would enter a store to shop, 
he would remain on the side-walk. He would stand on 
his toes, then he would raise his arms and bring them 
down slowly with the muscles taut; and, in his own 
mind, he was as good as he ever was. He would smile 
when the older boy would call him ''daddy." He had 
to be helped into his automobile. They were, after all, 

306 



FORT MYERS, FLORIDA 

quite alone. And many such inconsistent couples are 
to be seen in Florida during the Winter season. When 
they pass b}^, the women smile and the men think and 
grin. Possibly they will be equally as foolish in ad- 
vanced age. "There is no fool like the old fool." 



307 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 



Tampa, Florida 

THE town of Tampa is the best commercial city in 
the State. It has a population of about 80,000, 
70 per cent of whom are white and 30 per cent 
black. Sixty per cent of the population are foreigners, 
such as Cubans and Spaniards. It was founded in 1539 
and is a seaport with a harbor of about twenty feet of 
water. The Plant, or Atlantic Coast Railroad, devel- 
oped the Gulf Coast of Florida and made Tampa the com- 
mercial center. Because of its advantages and central 
location, this city has prospects of substantial growth 
in the future. It lies across Tampa Bay, opposite St. 
Petersburg, the doorway to the best citrus fruit lands 
in the State. It is only a few feet above the Gulf. 

The city has some good business houses and firms 
in all lines of business, manufacturing, jobbing and 
wholesaling. It is the center of the phosphate industry, 
but the cigar industry is the most important. Ten 
thousand men are thus employed in this work, making 
over a million cigars a day, and the payroll is over a 
million dollars a month. 

The first train came in 1884. Mr. Plant, who had 
built the railroad, then built the Tampa Bay Hotel at 
a cost of a million or more. This hotel was opened to 
the public in 1889. Tampa is an Indian name. It 
means ''splitting wood for quick fires." The hotel has 
not been a success financially. It is open for tourists 
during the Winter season only. At Mr. Plant's death 
about fifteen years ago, it became the property of his 
young wife, and shortly afterwards she married her 
husband's secretary, and deeded the hotel with its 

308 



TAMPA, FLORIDA 

sixty-seven acres of ground, to the city, receiving in 
payment therefor $125,000. She sold this property to 
the city upon condition that the grounds should be used 
as a park for the benefit of the public and the hotel 
maintained as a tourist place. 

Tampa has several good hotels; and it is a clean 
city in some respects, with admirable climate throughout 
the year, especially at night. 

The drinking water is obtained from springs under 
more favorable conditions than most Florida towns. 
The sewerage is handled by the Imhoff System, that is, 
reducing the solids to slugs and incinerating the gar- 
bage. 

One strange thing is found in the towns all over 
Florida, — the constant presence of buzzards in the air. 
Now buzzards live and stay around those places where 
filth exists, and where sanitary conditions do not exist. 
If they find the living poor, they move. Where they 
live and prosper, it is not healthy for human beings 
to live, as a rule; and here as elsewhere it is safe to 
watch the buzzards. 

Because of the low sea level of all the land in the 
State, it is most difficult to handle the sewerage unless 
it is treated in a scientific manner with the free expendi- 
ture of money. This is ignored in almost every town, 
for the natives trust in the Lord. 

The treatment of garbage, if it is desired for ferti- 
lizing, might be materially improved in its handling if 
it were taken out and spread upon the land for five or 
ten miles instead of one or two miles, but the Florida 
cracker is too lazy to do this, and it would cost too much. 
They live in a warm climate and in the day-time it is 
hot in the sun. Many of them have the hookworm 

309 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

disease and many are afflicted with the dropsy, that is, 
if they see an unoccupied chair or bench they go and 
drop down on it. This is why human beings have no 
tails in these days. Their ancestors came into being 
in a warm or hot climate, and being afflicted with the 
'dropsy," they wore their tails off by sitting so much. 

Not far away is Plant City, the strawberry country. 
They send this delicious food out, by the train load, to 
the ''T. I. R." people North and East. You know early 
strawberries at fifty cents or a dollar a box can be eaten 
only by the ^^T. I.^ R." (The Idle Rich). 

This city is properous and contains about 4,000 
people. Several large phosphate plants are located here. 
A few tourists stop here. The next town is Lakeland, 
which possesses about 6,000 population and is a pop- 
ular tourist point. It is a very attractive town. The 
climate all the way through central Florida is about 
the same. The advantage one town has over another 
is only in hotels and eating places. Some require the 
limit of endurance, and if you fail to get sick you can 
then infer that your constitution is perfectly sound 
and needs no amendments in the way of sewing or stitch- 
ing. Otherwise, you might go to your last dwelling 
house, as hundreds of them do each Winter. All the 
towns, including this one, are well supplied with buz- 
zards. There are buzzards in the air and in many places 
on the ground, as tourists found to their sorrow in the 
Winter of 1916-17. The landlords and the like, in many 
places, shook them down like hickory nuts falling from 
a tree after a severe frost on a windy day, and many 
tourists started homeward after a few days, for fear 
of losing their return tickets also. 

I went to my room at the hotel in Lakeland one night 

310 



TAMPA, FLORIDA 

and as I opened the door I heard a noise as if someone 
were in my room. I quickly turned on the light, for I 
was scared ; and over at the edge of my bed I saw a large 
black bug with one tentacle turned towards me and 
with its left eye watching my every movement. It 
winked its eye at me and stood still, and so did I. I 
quietly reached for an instrument of war to battle for 
the possession of the room. I missed and it escaped. In 
size, it was as large as an English sparrow and as active 
as a deer. In color, it was black ; and its arms and legs 
were as large as those of Gotch, the wrestler. This being 
a bone-dry State, I had, by this time, recovered my 
equilibrium; and I am sure my vision was accurate. 
My suitcase being on the floor, I thought I saw it mov- 
ing. It weighed thirty pounds. I picked it up and 
13ut it on the table, and from under it, running in every 
direction, were similar black bugs. They quickly disap- 
peared. They were the famous Florida cockroach which 
eats everything in sight, especially shoes, boots and 
clothes. The}' lifted a glove out of my overcoat pocket. 

The next night I retired about half-past nine. Short- 
ly after ten, I heard two women unlocking the door 
across the hall from mine and I heard them press the 
button to turn on the electric light. All at once, the}^ 
screamed, yelled and ran out into the hall. I knew 
where my cockroaches had gone. 

I told my experience to a friend. He said he had 
had the same experience. He killed one in his bathroom. 
The next morning he peeped in to take a last glance 
at the corpse, and, to his amazement, its comrades had 
carried it away. 

There is Orlando, a great tourist point, possessing a 
population of about 10,000 people. It seems a very 

311 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

attractive place to the buzzards as well as to the tourists. 
It is well laid out around two very pretty lakes, with 
flowers and shrubbery planted extensively. The drink- 
ing water is bad; the sewerage is emptied into a hole 
near the town; and the garbage is hauled a mile or two 
out and spread upon the ground. The drinking water is 
taken from a small lake, and it is so low at times that 
the fish die. But you cannot kill a Florida cracker. He 
is immune to everything except cold weather. Not so 
with the tourists. During the cold spell from one to 
three tourists a week were sent home in their last dwell- 
ing house. The buildings are not prepared for cold 
weather; most of the tourists are people advanced in 
life, and eighty per cent catch cold and suffer much, 
through the inconveniences, poor accommodations and 
bad cooking in a majority of the towns of the State. 

One night while here I had a struggle in my room 
with an animal as large as a United States silver dollar. 
It was provided with feet in front, at the back, on the 
right and on the left sides. Now about its eyes, I 
could not say. It could run like a deer, backwards as 
well as forwards, and could move to the right or the 
left without changing its position. In fact, it had the 
alacrity of some politicians, and could play all sides 
and ends with perfect ease without batting of eyes or 
change of expression. I finally captured it, and was 
then told that it was a water spider and perfectly harm- 
less. I felt better when I knew I was not to have it for 
a companion over night. You can never be happy when 
you have to keep one eye open as you sleep, to watch 
your companion. 

The hotel and the business section had bad smells 
but I never learned their origin. These smells were 

312 



TAMPA, FLORIDA 

like the names in the ''Who's Wlio Book." They were 
there and that is all there is to it. 

Sanford, another tourist point, is like the other 
towns, with a population of about 3,000 people. San- 
ford is headquarters for celery, and lettuce by the train 
load, while Orlando is headquarters for the citrus 
fruit buyers from all the large Eastern cities. These 
towns are the center markets for vegetables and citrus 
fruits. They are in the food belt of the State. 

The St. John's River starts from here as a navigable 
stream, running north 200 miles, passing Jacksonville 
and emptying into the Atlantic Ocean at Mayport. In 
all this distance, it has a fall of only two feet and six 
inches. This gives one a good idea of the topography 
of the State, and of the problems the municipalities 
have to meet and overcome to make conditions sanitary 
as the population increases. In many places, they are 
not meeting it, and in a majority of the towns, they 
are not even considering it seriously. Neglect and diso- 
bedience to the laws of health and sanitation must be 
settled for in time, here as well as elsewhere and here- 
after. 



313 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 



Leeshurg, Florida 

FROM Daytona, Florida, we took an automobile 
and made a trip into the interior for the pur- 
pose of seeing the east part of Florida, which 
many regard as the best section of the State. This sec- 
tion extends from a few miles south of Palatka to about 
100 miles north of Miami. It is called the orange belt, 
and reaches from the Atlantic to the Gulf of Mexico. 

We found the land very similar to that in the north- 
ern section, flat, swampy and marshy in many places, 
with stagnant pools of water here and there, and 
with the long-leaf pines covering the ground in every 
direction. The range cattle and famous razor-back 
hogs have full possession. They can forage for a living 
without hindrance, as no fences exist to interfere with 
their Avanderings. Negro huts in small settlements are 
frequent, as the colored men are employed to bark the 
trees for the turpentine, rosin, pitch, etc. The high- 
way is paved with brick a width of nine feet most of the 
journey, and to turn out for another vehicle approach- 
ing or get out of the main traveled road to let one pass, 
means to sink to the hub in sand and moisture and to 
stay for the balance of the night if stuck. This often 
happens. This is never pleasant to contemplate if night 
is approaching in miles and miles of pine woods. Our 
objective point was Deland, a town twenty-three miles 
from Daytona and twenty feet above the level of the 
sea. We arrived there about six o'clock in the evening, 
and found a town of possibly 5,000 people, clean and 
attractive in many ways. It has some good hotels and 
stores and many churches. It was founded by Mr. 

3X4 



I 



LEESBURG, FLORIDA 

Deland of New York, who tried to build a town in the 
sand and lost all his money. He succeeded in getting 
John B. Stetson, the hatter, to take an interest in his 
efforts and ambitions. About thirty j^ears ago, Mr. 
Stetson bought an orange grove of 150 acres ; he erected 
a Winter home thereon, became much attached to the 
locality, and expended large amounts of money before 
his death. He started the John B. Stetson University 
which was originally of the Baptist denomination. This 
institution is now in operation with about 500 students 
in attendance. The campus is large and contains several 
good buildings. Mr. Stetson also erected a fine hotel. 
All of these interests now are controlled by his two 
sons, the widow having married a Portuguese count, and 
having taken but little interest in her former husband's 
Southern home since her second marriage. The climate 
is more mellow, clear and pleasing there than on the 
ocean; and every day is Sunday. The town is settled 
largely hy people from New England and the North, 
and man}^ nice Winter homes have been erected. 

From here we went to Eustus, a town of about 
2,000 people located on Lake Eustus. We found the 
climate very similar to that of Deland; and there is no 
doubt about every day being Sunday here. It is like 
Deland in that nearly all the people are from New 
England and the North. From here, we went to Lees- 
burg, which has an elevation of sixty-six feet above the 
Gulf of Mexico. Fruit raising and truck gardening 
are the occupations followed hy the country people 
around and between all these inland towns. The pop- 
ulation of Leesburg is about the same as that of Eustus, 
but it is a better town. It is estimated that 1,300 lakes 
exist in this count}'. There are no creeks in Florida; 

315 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

there is only one real river ; and there are not to exceed 
a half dozen streams. The water is subterranean and 
appears in the form of lakes. The water in a higher 
lake percolates through the sand to a lower level and 
forms a lower lake. Because of this excessive moisture 
in the soil, orange groves do not need irrigation, as a rule. 
After visiting orange groves, truck gardens, dairy 
herds, poultry pens and places where domestic animals 
are kept, and after examining feed stores and inspecting 
native foods, I have come to the conclusion that Florida 
has only six things upon which to base its wealth. 
Named in the order of their importance they are as 
follows: fertilizing material, lumber and products, 
climate, tourists, table foods and fruits. The scientific 
theory as to the formation of Florida is that it was at 
one time covered by a shallow sea, that the Gulf of 
Mexico extended as far north as the Ohio River. The 
hot sun over the Gulf formed the Gulf Stream, or 
current, which swept to the north and swung around, 
crossing over the Florida peninsula with all kinds of 
rich material held in suspension. This it deposited in- 
differently on the surface, thus causing the State to 
be so spotted in the character and value of its soil, a 
worthless strip lying next to one possessing some value. 
The whole State is nothing but a bank of sand above 
with limestone underneath. When the Creator began 
to make the present changes in the southern part of 
the United States, He caused the Appalachian range of 
mountains to be formed by a tremendous earthquake. 
In this great upheaval, the Gulf of Mexico was forced 
south from the Ohio River to its present bed; and, at 
the same time, Florida was elevated a few feet above 
the level of the sea, making the southern end of the 

316 



LEESBURG, FLORIDA 

State higher than the northern part. This is why the 
whole State is covered with sand. Below this sand is 
a strata of limestone which is 500 feet thick and extends 
under the whole State. In some places this limestone 
is only a few inches below the sandy surface; in other 
places it is a few feet below, while in still other places 
it is at a depth of 100 feet. This limestone is porous. 
As a result of the manner of the formation of Florida, 
all the phosphate beds are along the shores of the Gulf 
of Mexico. They extend along the entire Gulf Coast 
of the State and are found nowhere else in the State, 
not even along the shores of the Atlantic. 

Near Leesburg, about forty feet down, a very fine 
clay has been discovered. This is called Kaolin. It is 
suitable for making fine china-ware. Also, a small 
quantity of clay suitable for making brick was found 
not far away. No coal or other minerals of any con- 
sequence have been discovered in Florida. Its beds of 
fertilizers are inexliaustible and have made their owners 
wealthy. Its trees are being tapped for the naval stores 
in a most wasteful manner. The larger ones are then 
sawed into lumber and the smaller ones die. Lumber 
made from trees after the turpentine has been extracted 
is not good because it decays from dry rot. The tur- 
pentine is one of nature's preservatives. 

This brings us to climate and tourists. The Winter 
climate is all that could be expected, ranging from 
thirty-two degrees to seventy-five. The inland cities 
are not so moist as the coast cities, and the northern 
cities are not so warm or uniform in temperature as 
those in the southern portion of the State. During the 
day, it gets very warm in the sun, the temperature going 
as high as 120 degrees in some places. At night, or in the 

317 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

shade in daytime, the temperature is much lower. The 
nights are nearly all comfortable, because of breezes 
from the Gulf and the Atlantic Ocean. Because of this, 
nearly all the labor in farming and truck gardening and 
the raising of fruits is done during the Winter months. 
The Summers are so hot that it is very hard to work out 
in the sun, so the natives retire under the shade. 

After leaving Leesburg we pass a number of dreary 
trading stations that look as if they were resting on the 
white sands of a lifeless soil. If a woman gets off the 
train with a baby in her arms and tramps up to a hut 
through white sand to her shoe-tops, one feels like 
lifting his hat, for she is a true patriot of Plymouth 
Rock days. This is the kind of courage some of our 
young men ought to have for universal military train- 
ing, but they do not possess it. The majority of women, 
after all, are more loyal to duty than men; and when 
necessity compels them to do so, they will even support 
a lazy, worthless, loafing man who has the distinguished 
honor of being called ''husband." 

We pass through two towns that really amount to 
something, — Tarpon Springs and Clearwater. Both 
are tourist points; that is why they amount to some- 
thing. When you realize that tourists bring into this 
State, each winter, between $30,000,000 and $40,000,000, 
you can appreciate what is meant. Next, we arrive at the 
town of Bellaire which contains just one en^rprise, the 
Belleview hotel built by Mr. Plant. It is six dollars 
a day and up, mostly up, the six-dollar rooms being 
exhausted when the traveler arrives, even if he is for- 
tunate enough to be the first guest. There is nothing 
like having a system. It is a system that works well 
that gets admiration and patronage. The hotel is full 

318 



LEESBURG, FLORIDA 

all the time, that is full of guests. As this State is a 
''bone cliy" State, it could not be ''full" in any other 
sense. After this we are dropped down into St. Peters- 
burg, — dropped is what I mean. It is a Fourth of July 
place and is located at the extreme end of a narrow strip 
of land in the Gulf of Mexico. It is not far above the 
water. The climate is fine. The accommodations are 
ver}^ limited, some being fair and some the very poorest 
imaginable. This is the place where one gets so little 
and pays so much. The hotels and the boarding and 
rooming places have written their prices up in the 
clouds. The visitor is compelled to glance upwards 
towards St. Peter's shrine to comprehend his elevation. 
The price is six dollars a day for each person, and two 
or more are put in a little cheap room. Rooms in 
residences are from one to two dollars a day and the 
tourists are nicely put away for the night after the 
manner in which the grocer puts away his sacks of flour. 
These people had no right to traduce St. Peter 's good 
name by adding ''burg" at the end, otherwise it is 
well named. The side-walks are lined with seats for 
the tourists, with the words "welcome" and the name 
of the owner painted thereon. Here the agriculturist, 
the country merchant and the retired country gentle- 
men are found in large numbers. Many wear dia- 
monds, and some from Pennsylvania who found gas 
and coal on otherwise "bad lands" do not hesitate on 
size. The real estate men parade along, settle on their 
victim, take a seat and open up the subject which is 
seldom referred to, — "the beautiful climate and the 
weather." They get warmed up, then there is an auto- 
mobile ride to a show grove of oranges and grape fruit. 
The beautj^ and great wealth are praised, the owner 

319 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

plays the harp, and frequently, the deal is closed. If 
this fails, then there is the Winter home. The prices 
asked are relative to the prices for lodging over night. 
It is a new business and the ''fool and his money are 
soon parted." In a year or so, it is for sale again and 
a new tourist is harnessed to the "wonderful one-horse 
shay" which has carried many to the same landing 
place, never to return. 

•The beach is fine. I noticed an attractive casino on 
one of the docks. Three male athletes were teaching 
pupils how to swim, and all the pupils were women, 
mostl}^ 3^oung. I observed one teacher called his pupils 
''honey." Now, if they will add lady teachers I'll 
visit the town again and join the class. I think every- 
one ought to learn to swim alone on land as well as in the 
water. The tourists have chess, croquet, checker and 
horse-shoe clubs. The latter club has a membership of 
between 200 and 300. This will show the interest they 
take in the sports. From 15,000 to 25,000 tourists are 
here m^ost of the season. There is nothing to amuse them 
except these sports and a movie or tw^o unless it be to 
"kick" on being held up and forced to "ride the goat." 
Of course, this keeps them from getting stale. This 
scrapping occasionally, and in a lady-like manner, keeps 
the mind brightened up to perform its functions in 
meeting the daily duties found thereabouts and re- 
quired of each individual. As in all such places there 
are some who, regardless of age or looks, are trying to 
find a mate. Such is life. 



320 



NORFOLK, VIRGINIA 



Norfolk, Virginia 

THIS city has a population of about 90,000, and 
commercially it is one of the liveliest cities of 
the South for its size. Its main streets are 
narrow, and its side-walks are still narrower. Both the 
side-walks and the streets are only in fair condition. 
As is the case in most American cities, the city govern- 
ment has experimented with all kinds of materials for 
both paving and side-walks. The city has a good street 
car sj'stem, and the other public service corporations 
are owned by private interests and are rendering fairly 
good service. The citj" owns its water system, and the 
people appear satisfied. 

Norfolk is located on the Elizabeth River, which 
separates it from Portsmouth, the latter town having 
a population of about 25,000 people. This river is 
about twenty-five feet deep, and is accessible to most 
of the large ships. It empties into Hampton Roads. 

The commerce on this river, both foreign and domes- 
tic, is very large and is only starting on a period of 
expansion that will make Norfolk a very important 
commercial center on the Atlantic coast. 

Strange as it may seem, this city has no navy j^ard 
or navy shops. One frequently sees in newspapers a 
reference to the Norfolk Navy Yard. The navy yard 
is located over in Portsmouth and is owned by the 
United States. It embraces a large tract of land upon 
which expensive improvements have been made from 
time to time. Millions of dollars have been appro- 
priated lately to enlarge it, and additional improve- 
ments are under consideration. Over 5,000 men are 

321 

21 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

employed at this navy yard, and it is advertising for 
more. It is the life of Portsmouth, and, to all intents 
and purposes, is a part of Norfolk. Two large ferries 
are operated across the river constantly, and the trip 
is made in a few minutes. The fare is five cents for 
the round trip. This is the most remarkable charge I 
have ever known. The travel is very large, both for 
people and vehicles. It is possibly 500 yards across. 
The ferries are owned by the county and leased to 
private parties to operate. In leasing, the charge is 
controlled by the county officials. 

The government has let a contract for a great dry 
dock which will cost $2,500,000 and will receive the 
largest battleships. It is estimated that it will take 
two years to complete it. It will be 1,020 feet long. 
In connection with this dry dock, modern shops are to 
be erected costing $1,000,000. A 1,700 foot dock is one 
among the improvements in the construction of battle- 
ships. These things will make this section an important 
addition to the strength of the Government when com- 
pleted, and they will indirectly make Norfolk an im- 
portant city with Fortress Monroe and Newport News 
near by. It will stimulate local business and industries. 

Norfolk has many fine homes. The business houses 
are thrifty, though small; and the hotels are good. It 
has a fine bathing beach at Ocean View. This beach is 
a safe place because the slope into the water is gradual, 
and there is a good sandy bottom free from the large 
breakers and undertow of the Atlantic Ocean. 

On the Atlantic Ocean thirty miles away, and just 
below Fort Henry, is Virginia Beach, a very attractive 
place for Summer tourists. These tourists come mostly 
from the Southern States. Its hotel facilities are just 

322 



NORFOLK, VIRGINIA 



fair, not what New England people would require. 
However, there are many cottages, and people attend 
by the thousands during the hot Summer months. 

Once upon a time, Norfolk undertook to promote an 
exposition of national dimensions. Some of the States 
joined and put up permanent buildings ; others did not. 
The Government wasted some money there also. It 
was a failure and a total loss to the promoters. . These 
exposition grounds were near Sewell's Point, a neck of 
land extending out into Hampton Roads, about ten 
miles from Norfolk. It was named the Jamestown Expo- 
sition. This name was in commemoration of the first 
settlement of the State of Virginia, which was on the 
James River a few miles from Norfolk. It was well 
named and well located, but the people were not in- 
terested and did not patronize it. 

At Sewell's Point occurred one of the most remark- 
able battles recorded in history — the battle between the 
''Monitor" and the "Merrimac," during the Civil War. 
The battle was a draw and both withdrew from the field 
of contest. The ' ' Merrimac ' ' was badly damaged and its 
officers did not know that the ' ' Monitor ' ' was also dam- 
aged. The moral effect was decidedly in favor of the 
' ' Monitor " ; the North was electrified and the South was 
depressed, for the "Monitor" had sunk seven ships be- 
fore the "Merrimac" came on the scene, and the fact 
that she had given battle without victory could have no 
other effect on the morale of the two armies. 

The Norfolk or Portsmouth Navy Yard was in the 
hands of the Confederates, and at this yard the "Mer- 
rimac" was planned and built. 

History abounds among these lakes and rivers and 
creeks, dating from the beginning of civilization and 

323 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

coming down to the present time. Even now, history 
is being made. It was through the Chesapeake Bay 
tliat the ''Deutchland" made its famous trip under the 
command of Captain Koenig. This is the gateway, by 
water, to the city of Washington itself; and many im- 
portant and influential cities dot its shores all the way 
along. The enemy must not pass and capture our seat 
of government, and for this reason the defenses are 
strong and up-to-date and the entrance well guarded. 
The " Monitor," no doubt, embodied the idea and 
was the forerunner of our modern submarine, one of the 
most destructive machines of naval warfare. It has 
been wonderfully improved and is so destructive that 
one asks, ''What next? Will something be invented 
to lessen its destructiveness T ' The genius of America 
in the ''Monitor" changed or revolutionized the con- 
struction of navies. Will an Edison or some other Amer- 
ican surpass the modern submarine 1 Perhaps some great 
brain will invent a small machine which occupies but 
little space and is noiseless, — a machine operated by 
three or four men, which can steal its way into harbors 
unseen and unknown and destroy great dreadnoughts 
lying at anchor. Such a machine would have eyes to 
see mines and could escape and go around them and 
retire as it had entered. The last war is always in- 
structive, and the inventive mind creates new machin- 
ery and equipment which suj^plant former inventions 
upon which large sums of money have been expended 
because they were essential and the best that had been 
discovered up to that time. This is only progress and 
to be expected. Improvements that work better must 
be adopted, and the old and out-of-date must be dis- 
carded. This is so in all things. 

324 



NORFOLK, VIRGINIA 

Another great enterprise culminated at Sewell's 
Point. H. H. Rodgers and Henry Flagler, two oil men, 
left the oil business to build railroads, one in the 
Virginia coal fields for commerce and the other to ex- 
ploit Florida climate. Both were great undertakings 
and were operated at a loss at first. Development 
alone could demonstrate the correctness of their ideas. 
Each required many millions to complete his plans, 
each became pressed for more money, and each died 
during the development period and left the future for 
others. Time will record both as a success. The passing 
years will reveal the vigorous minds they possessed and 
the nerve and courage which enabled them to under- 
take tasks as great as those of famous generals com- 
manding vast bodies of men in battle. ''In success 
there is nothing like succeeding." 

P'lagler's coal roads bring the coal out of the heart 
of Virginia, 400 miles away. It is carried in cars hold- 
ing 100 tons each, which bring it to Sewell's Point at 
tide water. The long trains are pulled by three or 
four engines, and there are twelve wheels to the car. 
A car is unloaded in two or three minutes, by machin- 
ery. Boats, by the score, wait in single file and form 
a line extending away out into Hampton Roads, each 
ship waiting its turn to be loaded and sent on its way 
with the least possible delay. 

This was a great thought of a great man, and was 
brought to a successful conclusion for the benefit of 
humanit}'. The rewards to the promoter were relatively 
small, but they amounted to much on the enormous 
volume of business done. My hat is off to such men 
and such enterprises, and they are entitled to the re- 
wards they get. Their profits are wholly on the saving 

325 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

in economical handling and distribution of the product. 
Such men are philanthropists, and such enterprises are 
philanthropic in conception and are never appreciated 
until their originators are dead. The man who fails or 
lacks capacity to do things never fails to have a hammer 
to knock success, because it failed to come his way. 

All the land around Norfolk is devoted to truck 
gardening. The truck gardens extend out for forty 
miles, and enormous quantities of vegetables are raised 
and shipped to the Northern and New England markets. 
Potatoes, radishes, onions, spinach, kale, cabbage — 
everything that goes on the table — is raised. The 
gardeners raise two and three crops a year. Some- 
thing is growing every month of the year. They raise 
two crops of potatoes, and strawberries by the ton. I 
saw eight cars being loaded with kale and spinach. 
They feed New England on green stuff. The ground 
has to be fertilized, but does not need irrigation. The 
gardens look fine. Hundreds of colored men, women, 
and children are working in them, and they are clean 
and attractive. This brings in much wealth and makes 
the community prosperous and happy. There is work 
for every one if he wants to work; and the returns are 
good, for the American consumer is a good liver. He 
has the money to pay, and does love good things to 
eat. For almost a generation he has lived in plenty. 
He was getting extravagant and wasteful. He was 
not just the citizen we had in the ''Mayflower" period. 
Things are changing for the better, and the future 
looks bright. The present terrible War will cause peo- 
ple to live simpler lives, economize and develop into 
better citizens in every way. 



326 



FORTRESS MONROE, VIRGINIA 



Fortress Monroe, Virginia 

THIS historic place of defense is located on a 
point extending out into Hampton Roads, on 
land owned by the United States. Its holdings 
are extensive and well protected, and are guarded from 
every point of view. 

Hampton Roads is, in effect, a large lake; and into 
this lake flow several rivers. The James River is the 
largest. This body of water extends from Newport 
News to Fortress Monroe and then around to Sewell's 
Point. Our war vessels can congregate here in large 
numbers, and they do. It opens into Chesapeake Bay, 
and thus is connected with Washington and the Atlantic 
Ocean. Chesapeake Bay is twelve miles across where 
it opens into the ocean. At one side of this entrance 
is Cape Charles, and at the other side is Fort Henry. 
Fort Henry is probably the strongest and finest fort 
in the United States. 

War or physical contest for supremacy, to protect 
supposed rights or defend certain interests for the 
present or the future, alwaj^s has existed and will exist 
so long as man lives and has desires, wants, loves, hates, 
and struggles to feed and protect his young. This is 
one of the laws of animal life. All animal life feeds 
and exists on other animal life. Man must have his 
beef, mutton, pork and fish. His very existence depends 
on other animal life, for his body and its physical con- 
struction require this kind of food. Civilization and 
education have driven him away from his own species, 
but in the struggle for existence he crowds out and 
pushes to one side the members of another division of 

327 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

humanity which gets in the way of his division. This 
is the cause of wars in simple terms. They keep 
human nature from becoming stale and retrograding 
to a lower level. War is progress upwards for the 
human family, for it awakens all the elements in man 
necessar}^ for his final betterment. Universal peace 
is a beautiful thought to dream about, like love; but 
as a fact existing* it would, in the end, mean the des- 
truction of the human race. We would have no pride, 
ambition, or energy, to do things worth while. All 
nature is destructive of the individual parts in some 
manner or form. Nothing in life lives without struggle, 
from the embryonic state to maturity; and when 
matured it dies. Why not ? The apple when ripe drops 
from the tree, and man stops by the wayside and takes 
his final rest. His work is done; it is finished. 

Fortress Monroe is located on a beautiful body of 
water — Hampton Roads. It is very old and fully a 
mile long. Within its embankments are hundreds of 
dwellings and buildings to house and care for the men. 
Some of the buildings are three stories high, yet you 
cannot see them from the outside. Possibly twenty- 
five acres are included in the main enclosure. Here 
the officers and men attend drill, go to school and 
scientifically study the arts of war in all its branches. 
There is a school where pupils are instructed in wire- 
less telegraphy. There are also schools for civil en- 
gineering and for tactics. In the school for tactics 
men are instructed and officers are drilled in every 
branch of actual war. It is all hard work. It takes 
persistence, to become efficient and make good on the 
field of battle. 

The men are all well cared for, physically and 
328 



FORTRESS MONROE, VIRGINIA 

mentally. Everything that they need is furnished, but 
they must pay for their own laundering and do their 
own barbering. They pool and pay a man each a dollar 
a month for shaving them and cutting their hair. The 
boys appear well and are a credit to the service in every 
way. No liquor is permitted inside the Fort, and on 
the outside the State of Virginia has eliminated it, 
apparently for good. Until this occurred, a small town 
across the border, by the name of Phoebus, supplied 
their wants. 

Here was the place where Jefferson Davis lived 
two years in prison before he was released on bail 
about 1868. He was captured in Georgia and brought 
here and confined to await his trial for treason. The 
Federal court at Richmond indicted him, and evidently 
was delaying the trial until feeling would die down. 
No doubt this was not objectionable to Mr. Davis. 
After being admitted to bail and given full possession 
of his freedom, he demanded trial; but was never tried. 
Finally, the action was dismissed, and he moved to 
Mississippi and erected a home near Biloxi, which is now 
used as a Confederate soldiers ' home. He died at the age 
of eighty-one, and his remains were brought to Richmond 
and buried in the Hollj^wood cemetery, where rest his 
wife, his four-year-old son and his daughter, Winnie. 

To accommodate the traveling public, the Govern- 
ment leased a strip of ground to a hotel company which 
erected one of the finest hotels in the country. The 
traveler gets his room and board for seven dollars a 
day and up, and he pays extra for everything else he 
gets around the hotel. These extras are sometimes 
many, and they recall a law firm which had a member 
whose first name was Chester. One day, in making 

329 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

an entry against a client, the question of the amount 
came up, when the other member called out, ''Charge, 
Chester, charge." Many of us have had the experience 
of being charged and then charged again, regardless 
of the returns or the service. It all depends upon 
whose ox is gored. Rockefeller made himself a wicked 
man in the eyes of those who had to buy his oils, while 
those who did not have to buy them regard him as the 
greatest philanthropist of his age ; and so it goes. 

Just beyond is Hampton, a town of about 8,000 
people. Here is located the famous Hampton Institute, 
a vocational school, maintained by the United States, to 
educate colored boys in practical things and which is 
doing a noble work. There is nothing here to engage 
the people except the catching of fish and oysters, and 
this industry gives employment to many people. A 
troll}' car runs from Norfolk to Newport News, which 
is just beyond Hampton. The service is good. 

Newport News has a population of about 30,000. 
Here is located the Newport News Ship Building and 
Dock Company, one of the largest institutions of its 
kind in America. It has had five different battleships 
in process of construction at once, beside merchant 
vessels. It employs, at the present time, 9,000 men, 
and it wants more. It is admirably located on Hampton 
Roads where war vessels in goodly number are always 
present. Material is near at hand and there is ample 
docking space. The company has hundreds of houses 
occupied by its employees, and it is the life and support 
of the place. 

The Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad has elevators 
and wharfs on the opposite side of the town, on a 
very large scale, and this town does an enormous export 

330 



FORTRESS MONROE, VIRGINIA 

business in grain of all kinds, provisions and mer- 
chandise. 

This is a seaport town, and all seaport towms are 
alike. The country outside is cut up into small plats 
and devoted to raising garden truck. All kinds of 
vegetables are profitably grown, and in some instances 
they raise two or three crops a year. They raise two 
crops of potatoes. It is all done by fertilizing. Vege- 
tables are more profitable than grain, although they 
can raise grain crops. 

They depend almost wholly on crab grass. This is 
a native grass that never dies. After gathering some 
crops the}' level the ground, and up comes the crab 
grass, which is cut and used for hay. It is always 
there and never has to be sowed. Timothy, blue grass 
and clover will not grow in this section. They can 
produce good alfalfa. The soil is much better than 
that of either North or South Carolina. This enables 
the farmers to raise fine stock. The cattle tick was 
eliminated from this State several years ago. The 
dairy herds are in fine shape, and milk always commands 
a good price. Potatoes are raised on a very large scale 
in some sections. Last year, one county over on 
the coast realized $10,000,000 from its potato crop. 
The greatest markets of the world are not over 
200 miles away, and the transportation facilities by 
land and sea could not be finer. Riches are at their 
door, with the growth of this country, for all time to 
come. ''Everything comes to him who waits." Be 
patient and work, that is all. 



331 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 



Fredericksh urg, Yirginia 

THIS is a lively little place of about 10,000 people, 
situated a few miles north of Richmond. It 
is located on the Rappahannock River. A few 
miles to the east, near the Potomac River, the parents 
of George "Washington resided; and it was there that 
their famous son first saw the light of day. A fine 
monument has been erected in this place to the memory 
of his mother. 

This place was the scene of much fighting during 
the Civil War. A National Cemetery has been located 
here. The battles of the Wilderness, Chancellorsville 
and Spottsylvania all occurred within a few miles of this 
spot. A short distance to the south, in a lonely dwelling 
near Ginnea, occurred the death of "Stonewall" Jackson, 
shot in the Wilderness. 

The country, in ever}' direction, is hilly and verj- 
picturesque. Virginia abounds in beautiful scenery on 
all sides. The rivers, creeks, valleys and woods add 
to its beauty; and, in addition, it is set with rich his- 
torical jewels, — jewels which, like the bride's wedding 
ring, have associations some of which are sweet to re- 
member and some of which it would be better to forget. 
Yet not a jewel could be spared without marring the 
past historical beauty of the State because her good 
deeds predominate over her errors; and such errors 
as there were must be forgiven and forgotten. 

The State is not only rich in history but it is also 
rich in agricultural products, in minerals, in forests and 
in other sources of wealth. It also has a rich heritage 
of literature. Richmond has been the center of much 

332 



FREDERICKSBURG, VIRGINIA 

of this wealth. The millions of pounds of tobacco pro- 
duced in the State are brought to Richmond and 
manufactured into plug tobacco, cigarettes and smoking 
tobacco. Large warehouses and factories abound in 
Richmond, creating much wealth for that city and the 
surrounding country. Since John Rolfe, the husband 
of Pocahontas, shipped the first tobacco to England in 
1612 and saved the Jamestown Colony from starvation, 
the industry has grown to large proportions. It has 
given emplo3^ment to many thousands and has brought 
millions of dollars to the State. 

The quality of tobacco depends much on the charac- 
ter of the soil and the climate. This is possibly why 
Cuba produces finer flavored tobacco than any other 
country in the world. The climate gives flavor to the 
vegetation and the soil creates the texture of the plant; 
and Cuba is peculiarly blessed with both of these 
essential conditions, subject sometimes to slight modifi- 
cations caused b}^ bees and the like which assist in the 
fertilizing. Nature does have strange and interesting 
ways of nurturing, developing and maturing vegetable 
as well as animal life. The more we see and learn, the 
less we think we know of her wondrous plans and 
designs. However, we do know that all her forces are 
working for some ultimate good; and our lips should 
therefore cease to complain and to criticise. One thing 
we should learn,— that there is no idleness, that all 
objects in nature are as busy as bees, each doing some- 
thing for the general plan of which we know nothing. 

The iron ore of Virginia was the backbone of the 
Confederacy. Richmond firms made the shells and 
cannons and other munitions for the Confederacy. It 
now has its nail and powder factories and other iron 

333 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

industries. The State abounds in granite, marble, onyx, 
sandstone, coal and coke. 

It was Henry H. Rogers who invested a fortune in 
tapping the coal fields of Virginia to tide water and 
supplying the merchant ships on the Atlantic, from 
all nations in the world. It was a great conception and 
a great enterprise, and now every day you can see 
train-load after train-load of fine coal making its way 
to Hampton Roads. There hundreds of vessels are 
loaded within a few hours with thousands of tons, the 
machinery used being a credit to modern civilization 
and commerce. It is most interesting to see the in- 
telligence and speed with which business is transacted 
in this day. 

Richmond being the capital of the State, and of 
the old Confederac}^, all roads lead to that city. This is 
true industrially, socially, politically and otherwise. 

The Confederate Soldiers' Home is located here and 
is now housing about 300 Confederate soldiers. They 
are old, many of them broken down in health, lame and 
almost helpless. They are kept by the State. They 
get their clothes, board and medical attention free. 
They also have one dollar a month for spending money 
and twenty-five cents for tobacco, which allowance can 
be spent otherwise if not wanted for tobacco. One 
old fellow said he felt sorry for the people on the other 
side, because the war has made living so high. He was 
picking up scraps of iron to sell, because tobacco has 
so advanced in price on account of the European war 
that the allowance of twenty-five cents a month is not 
sufficient. The buildings are in fair condition and are 
located on a plat of ground consisting of about six acres. 
The soldiers are free to go and return as they please. 

334 



FREDERICKSBURG, VIRGINIA 

Of the literary people connected with Virginia, no 
others are so well known as Edgar Allan Poe. His mother 
is buried in the St. Johns churchyard, which Patrick 
Henry made famous. She was poor and her son never 
improved her condition in this respect. Literary people, 
as a body, are very poor, — often so poor that they are to 
be pitied. Only a very small number make anything 
beyond a fair living, and Poe was not even one of that 
number. Many of them are not appreciated until they 
go to Heaven, where bread and milk and shoes are not 
needed; and Poe was no exception to the rule. How- 
ever, some leave a great name that becomes brighter with 
age, and this is regarded by the populace as more 
precious than riches. Expensive monuments and memo- 
rials are erected to the names of the departed who suc- 
ceed in winning the love of those who come after them. 
This is very thoughtful in posterity, for otherwise, in 
time, they might be wholly forgotten. 

Among others whom Richmond may claim, are 
Thomas Nelson Page, Fountaine Maury, Mary Johns- 
ton, Ellen Glasgow, Kate Langley, Marion Harland, 
Amelie Rives, author of "The Quick or the Dead," 
and J. B. Cabell. These writers have creditably main- 
tained the State's standing in literary work. 

The people are proud of Hollywood Cemetery. It 
is located on one of the seven hills of the city over- 
looking James River. It is very old, and is well located, 
giving a view of the river valley that is most restful 
to the soul and pleasing to the eye. In this cemetery 
are buried many historical characters, from presidents 
down. James Monroe, John Tyler and John Randolph 
of Roanoke are sleeping here; and close to each other, 
at the highest point, are the graves of Jefferson Davis 

335 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

and General Fitzhugli Lee. General Robert E. Lee, his 
father, is buried at Lexington, Virginia, where he died 
as president of Washington and Lee University. The 
South loves and adores the Lees, and the North respects 
the father. He was a gentle lovable man, modest and 
retiring in the extreme, although forced, by circum- 
stances, into lines of action of which his heart did not 
approve, but which his conception of honor and duty 
compelled him to follow. This he did, with credit to 
himself and in such a manner as to win the respect and 
esteem of his foes. 

The city has numerous small parks, and they are 
well maintained. The colored people are segregated 
everywhere except in the parks. On warm days and 
nights, they congregate in these spots by the thousands 
and monopolize all the privileges. The whites are con- 
sidering segregating them even as to the parks. The back 
seats in everything are set aside for the colored man; 
and he must not be seen at the front in any place which 
the dominant race has decreed shall be for its pleasure 
and comfort alone. 

Yet the city is proposing drastic means to prevent 
the colored laborers from going to other labor centers, 
especially New England. All these efforts will be in 
vain. Higher wages and better treatment are the ruling 
forces that determine a laborer's destiny, whether he 
be black or white. Resistance and obstacles placed in 
the way only increase his determination to go to the 
promised land. Among all peoples and in all ages, 
this has been the experience of those seeking liberty of 
thought and action and better conditions; and the ex- 
odus of the colored man from Richmond and from the 
Southern States will assume larger proportions in the 

336 



FREDERICKSBURG, VIRGINIA 

future because of the present social and economic con- 
ditions. The exodus may reach 2,000,000 before it 
lessens its force, thus changing the political, social 
and economic conditions of a great portion of our 
countr3\ It "v^dll create a new South where the surplus 
of underpaid colored labor has disappeared, and where 
the laboring white population will be more efficient and 
receive higher wages. 

The white man will be compelled to leave his yellow 
dog and gun and till the soil. On the disappearance of 
the hunter's dog and gun, the farmer can raise sheep 
profitably. Not manj' sheep are raised in the Southern 
States because of the numerous idle hunters and their 
hungry dogs that live upon them. The careless colored 
farm laborer, underpaid and often cheated out of his 
labor, has no ambition or desire to do more or better. 
For years the soil has been poorly handled and robbed 
of its fertility. It must be enriched and intelligently 
handled in the future, and efforts along these lines are 
seen everywhere. This is the work of the white man, 
and the changed conditions will force him to follow in 
the footsteps of the pioneer and do honest, intelligent 
labor. 



22 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 



Richmond, Virginia 

THE capital of the Confederacy was first at 
Montgomery, Alabama; and later it was re- 
moved to this city. 

It is strange that the founders of the American 
Republic lived in this State, and that the real fighters 
and defenders of the Confederacy were Virginians. 
The original builders of the Union came into being 
here, and the ones to attack and try to destroy it were 
rocked in the cradle in the same State. 

Among the builders were Washington, Randolph, 
Madison, Monroe, Jefferson, Mason, Lewis, Nelson, John 
Marshall, Patrick Henry and other. Among the would- 
be destroyers were General Robert E. Lee, Joseph B. 
Johnston, ''Stonewall" Jackson, J. E. B. Stuart and 
others. And Henry Clay, the great compromiser, was 
born a Virginian. All of these names are shining lights 
in history. All were religious and church attendants, 
most of them Episcopalians. 

Possibly the ablest general of the Civil War was 
Lee, who resided here. His home is kept intact and is 
filled with war relics. 

Just a few blocks away was the "White House" of 
the Confederacy, occupied by Jefferson Davis and his 
family. It was also used as his executive office where 
he met his cabinet. It is very old. The city purchased 
it and presented it to him, but he would accept it only 
as a tenant ; and this he did until April 2, 1865, when 
he abandoned the city on receipt of a telegram from 
General Lee, from Petersburg, telling him that the end 
had come. With all his belongings, he started for Mexico, 

338 



RICHMOND, VIRGINIA 

and was overtaken and arrested in a small town in 
Georgia. He was confined in prison in Fortress Monroe 
for two years, as I have stated. 

His home is now nsed as a Confederate mnseum ; and, 
althongh small, it is one of the best arranged and main- 
tained museums in the country. It is filled with curios 
and subjects which are of great historical value, al- 
though they were collected and presented in defense 
of the justice of the Confederate cause. Here some mem- 
bers of his family were born and others died. From 
his porch he could hear the cannon firing on the out- 
skirts of the city and see the light of the fires at night. 
With this city as the center, the State is dotted with 
the battlefields from Petersburg to Washington, D. C, 
scenes of the fighting for the capital of the Confed- 
eracy. Just outside of Richmond were fought the 
battles of Hanover, Mechanicsville, Yellow Tavern, 
Gaines Mill, Cold Harbor, Fair Oaks, White Oak 
Swamp and Malvern Hill ; and it withstood them all 
until April 2, 1865. At that time Grant had under 
his command more than 1,000,000 men; and General 
Lee had not to exceed 200,000 men, and those half 
starved and half naked. He surrendered because of 
lack of men, food and credit; and thus ended a bloody 
conflict which left Richmond one-third destroyed by 
fire and the whole South in poverty and rags. The 
South now admits that the war ended as it should have 
ended, considering the best interests of all. 

The city has been slow to regain its former com- 
mercial position, but it is making substantial advances 
along commercial and financial lines. Its banks have 
about $85,000,000 on deposit, not counting the trust 
companies and two colored banks. 

339 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

The colored people are segregated as they are in 
most places in the South. Here they are engaged in 
all lines of trades and business enterprises. They have 
their own stores, sliops, doctors, dentists and tailors, 
that is, the}" live to themselves and supply their own 
wants. One bank has $100,000 capital and the other 
$50,000, and both are prosperous. 

The State capitol is very old. It is built on lines 
suggested by Thomas Jefferson and in accordance with 
ideas which he obtained in Paris. The Confederate 
Congress used it for all of its sessions, Vice-President 
Stevens being President of the Senate. 

In this same chamber, John Marshall presided over 
the court that tried Aaron Burr for treason. The jud- 
icial chair used on that memorable occasion is still 
preserved. In the same room is the famous oil paint- 
ing of the surrender of Cornwallis to George Wash- 
ington. It was painted by Lami the French artist. It 
is large and very impressive, and is valued at $50,000. 
The surrender of Cornwallis happened at Yorktown, 
Virginia, not far from the mouth of the Chesapeake 
Bay. Cornwallis pleaded for delay but George Wash- 
ington pressed for immediate action. General Clinton, of 
New York, was preparing to resist Washington, who 
had deceived both British generals and by his strat- 
egy had outgeneraled Cornwallis; within forty-eight 
hours after the surrender of Cornwallis the British 
fleet appeared in the Bay, but it was too late, for all 
was over. 

In the rotunda is Houdon's famous statue of Wash- 
ington, carved from life. Houdon was the greatest 
French sculptor of his day. This is the only statue of 
its kind, and no money could purchase it from the 

340 



RICHMOND, VIRGINIA 

State in which Washington lived, fought and died. He 
is leaning on thirteen sticks tied in a bundle, emblematic 
of the original Thirteen States. The new ten-cent piece 
has thirteen sticks of the same design. The statue was 
made 126 years ago. There are also busts around the 
rotunda. There is one of Lafayette, in marble, by the 
same sculptor. Busts of Justice Marshall and J. E. B. 
Stuart, the famous cavalry leader of the Confederacy, 
are there. They were made by other sculptors. 

On one corner of the capitol grounds is located a 
tower with a belfry on top. This is very old and was 
built as a place to store munitions of war. The purpose 
of the bell was to ring and call out the populace. The 
tower is still used for the same purpose, but the bell 
tower is a memory. 

A fine statue of Henry Clay adorns the grounds. 
There is an equestrian statue of Washington sur- 
rounded by eight of the most prominent colonial citi- 
zens of the State. It was easy to select eight, for they 
were national characters in their time and are now 
historical characters belonging to all mankind. This 
statue is said to have cost $265,000. There is also one 
to '' Stonewall" Jackson, presented to Virginia by admir- 
ing Englishmen. At one time, England almost recog- 
nized the independence of the Confederacy. No doubt 
these Englishmen thought it fitting to present to the 
State, in bronze, a statue of one of the distinguished 
generals of the Confederac3^ The English Commission, 
headed by Right Honorable Balfour, visited Richmond 
in 1917 and placed wreaths at the monuments of Lee 
and Jackson. 

Richmond has no city library. The State library is 
used freely by the citizens, and the need of a city 

341 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

library has not been felt. People in other parts of 
the State use it to some extent by means of the parcels 
post. 

The city is poorly governed. It has a modified 
commission form of city government. There are two 
branches, consisting of twenty-four councilmen and nine 
aldermen, who are elected by the people and serve 
without pay. This body passes all ordinances and 
makes all appropriations. At the same time, the votei^ 
elect an administrative board consisting of five mem- 
bers, who draw salaries of $5,000 each. This board 
spends the money and does the business of the muni- 
cipalit}'. The city's streets are neither clean nor in the 
best of repair. The management is expensive and not 
satisfactory. The government is cumbersome and 
lacks centralized responsibility. 

It is a closed town. All theaters and places of 
amusement are closed on Sunday, including baseball. 
It is also a bone-dry city, excepting the little that steals 
its way in by amusing methods. Even steamer trunks 
of regulation size are used for this purpose at times. 

And this is the town where Edgar Allan Poe, the 
orphan, began his career. Allan was the name of his 
benefactor. Richmond has sent other bright literary 
lights into the world. It is rich in material and sur- 
rounding views. It has beautiful women who are bright 
and sparkling in wit. It has capable business men. 
Why should it not keep up the history of the past? It is 
a part of Virginia, and nothing else could be expected. 

Richmond has a model fire department. Second 
Assistant F. 0. Wise has been in the service forty-two 
years and is yet as active as a young man. He does not 
permit any drinking, card playing or swearing around 

342 



RICHMOND, VIRGINIA 

the fire station. Only dominos and checkers are allowed. 
The men must look tidy and clean and be in condition 
to hold a reception at any hour in the day. The men 
now have separate bedrooms, for privacy and rest. 
Formerly there was one large room which had too 
many occupants. The discipline, inspection of hazards 
throughout the city, and knowledge of conditions, are 
ideal and equal to any in the country. The department 
is kept out of politics, the credit being due largely to an 
efficient chief. 

This city, with a population of possibly 170,000, 
nearly one-half of whom are colored people, is located 
on seven hills. The town itself is somewhat hilly and 
it rests high over the James River with the beautiful 
falls existing in that historic stream at this point. 

The principal streets and side-walks are fairly wide, 
especially Broad Street, the main thoroughfare. The side 
streets are narrow, and side-walks necessarily so. The 
original town has many short streets, and many running 
diagonall3% making it a city both interesting and at- 
tractive. This is not true of the extensions and ad- 
ditions made to the city in later years. 

The early paving was of granite blocks and stones, 
which are still in use; but the newer parts are paved 
with asphalt, creosote and the more modern materials, 
thus making the streets more comfortable for travel. 

But no matter which direction you go after leaving 
the business section, you will find sugar maple shade 
trees about thirty feet apart in the parking in every 
street. These trees give to the residential sections a 
most home-like and restful appearance, making the 
visitor feel on his departure that he would like to re- 
turn. This is a custom many American cities should 

343 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

adopt, for the trees add mucli beauty to the general 
appearance of the residential section of every city. 
Then, too, trees attract the songbirds and thus there 
is music within the dwelling place. Good wholesome 
environments provoke more good than evil in this world. 

At the edge of the old town and extending out over 
a mile, the city has established one wide street and 
named it Monument Avenue. This street has four rows 
of trees, one on each side and two in the middle. At 
intervals along the avenue, large handsome monuments 
have been erected for the heroes of the State, the most 
elaborate one being to the memory of Jefferson Davis. 
As a work of art, it is beautiful and imposing. Among 
the monuments, is a cannon standing on the spot 
where it defended the city from invasion by the Fed- 
eral troops during the Civil "War. One thing is notice- 
able in every Southern State ; everywhere there are monu- 
ments, tablets and memorials erected and conspicuously 
placed to keep green the memories of the heroes of the 
Civil War. Women, alone and through their associ- 
ations, are almost wholly responsible for work in these 
lines. Many of them are still bitter against the North 
and they teach and imbue their young against the 
''Yankee" and his influence. Only a few of the men 
pay any attention to those things, as time, business 
and political associations have modified both their feel- 
ings and their ideas. This is true except among some 
old soldiers and poor and uneducated natives. But the 
women never seem to forget, much less forgive. 

Here is where Patrick Henry attended a public meet- 
ing in St. Johns, the little Episcopal church on the hill, 
to protest against King George, the Third. It was there 
that he uttered those memorable words: "Give me 

344 



RICHMOND, VIRGINIA 

Liberty, or give me Death." The church has been re- 
modeled and enlarged twice, but the old pew has been 
retained, and is labeled with a bronze plate. Around the 
church is an old cemetery in which some distinguished 
dead lie sleeping. It covers a block. Stop and think a 
moment. Let your mind drift back to those days and 
those times. Think of these heroic characters, true to 
themselves and posterity and true to God. Are you 
not proud of the many great things they said and did 
and of the places and the occasions connected with their 
lives? We should study and know them better and in 
doing so we would make ourselves better American citi- 
zens. 

On Main Street is a little old house filled with curios. 
It is very old and small, compared with the surround- 
ings. This was George Washington's headquarters. La- 
fayette counseled with him there, and together they 
planned and worked for a common cause. Patrick Henry 
had his law office there. Madison and Monroe became 
associated with it. And for its preservation and main- 
tenance we are indebted to the Southern women. They 
are proud of their ancestry, and they worship their 
heroes; and in their loyalty for these they have neither 
the time nor the disposition to think kindly of the 
'^ Yankee." They think of him as one who broke up 
their customs and destroyed tlie aristocratic surround- 
ings that the wealthy and ease-loving Southerner en- 
joyed as the result of the labor of the colored slave. 

Not far away is St. Paul 's monumental church where 
Chief Justice Marshall and Jefferson Davis attended re- 
ligious services. The old pews are retained and properly 
labeled. Other historical individuals are associated with 
its history. Thus the past and present are connected; 

345 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

and the River of Time, gently and quietly flowing 
on into the future, bears their impression and influ- 
ence to generations yet to come. Our dullness or inabil- 
ity to read facts and occurrences as to their bearing 
on the future, often deprives us of doing good. Possi- 
bly those who act have not the intuition, but act blindly 
in response to the impulses within. With brains on fire 
with enthusiasm, they obey these impulses; but they 
do not understand, neither do they stop to analyze. 

Just this side of where the post office now stands 
was the treasury of the Confederacy. Here the money 
was printed. Good money is the outward, physical evi- 
dence of the power and strength of the government that 
issued it. It fluctuates with this power, either up or 
down; so the Confederate money faded away with the 
government, and is now a relic, a memory, collected and 
kept in museums. 

Not far away was the famous, or infamous, Libby 
Prison, a three-story brick building with a basement. 
This building was owned by Libby and Son, and used as 
a warehouse. The Confederate Government took pos- 
session of it to house its Federal prisoners; and, the 
owners' name being left on the wall, it became known 
as Libby Prison. 

Here thousands of the boys in blue were confined, 
with a stockade built around and guards to prevent 
their escape. Thus confined, they were both starved and 
cruelly treated. The history of this prison has been 
told and written many times. It is one of the darkest 
spots of the Civil War. The basement was filled with 
rats. Soldiers were dying day and night. At night, 
the rats would go above, where the soldiers were sleeping 
on the floors, and attack them in droves, biting and 

346 



RICHMOND, VIRGINIA 

eating the living and the dead. They were not molested 
except by the victims. The purpose of this treatment 
was to so undermine the health of the prisoners that 
when an exchange was made they would be so weakened 
physically that they would be unable to take up arms 
again for months, if ever; and if death occurred in the 
meantime, well and good. From this building a tunnel 
was dug and through it 109 escaped. Forty of them 
were afterwards captured and taken back to the awful 
place. Cruelty never landed a people anywhere at any 
time, in all the history of the past. Rewards, sooner 
or later, go with benevolent acts. Vindictiveness and 
cruelty never paid dividends in private, public or politi- 
cal life. 

In James River, a short distance away, on Belle Isle, 
was another prison. This was surrounded by deep 
swift-running water and some of the boys, in trying to 
escape, were drowned. It was not so bad as Libby 
Prison. It was at least free from the army of rats, and 
was more sanitary. 

Libby Prison still stands ; but it is a different struc- 
ture and business is located there. It is now a cold 
storage plant, for manufacturing ice. A tablet in bronze 
gives its location and brief designation. May such a 
place never exist again. May it be forgotten and never, 
never be repeated among men. 

The road between this city and Petersburg is very 
good, and it is much easier to obey the command ''On 
to Richmond, ' ' than it was for Grant in 1865. 

It was in 1607 that Captain John Smith and his 
band of Englishmen went up the river by boat as far 
as the falls at this point. It was indeed a wilderness 
with wild animals and game and Indians in large 

347 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

numbers. Powhatan, ''Emperor" of the Indian tribes, 
thirty-two in all, was making this locality his head- 
quarters. 

To commemorate the event, Captain Smith erected a 
cross, which has since been perpetuated in bronze with 
the names of his twenty-one associates. This is on a high 
bluff overlooking the falls and a good portion of the 
city as it is to-day. The outlook is most beautiful, in 
skj^ line, forest, water and valley. 

He was received by the Emperor and his chiefs. This 
was a friendly act on the part of the Indians. This 
kind and considerate attitude of the red man towards 
the white man was usually the same regardless of the 
tribe. History will record that, in nearly every instance, 
the hostility of the Indian can be traced back to some 
unfair treatment which the white man accorded this 
wanderer of the woods and his associates. Friendship 
once turned to hatred was never regained. 

As this place was 125 miles from the ocean. Captain 
Smith deemed it too far inland for a settlement, so he 
retraced his steps and established his colony a little above 
what is now Norfolk, on an island, about forty miles 
from the ocean. He called it Jamestown. It is a small 
village, but here was the beginning of civilization in 
America,— the beginning of what afterwards became 
Virginia, one of the most remarkable States in the Union. 

Captain Smith was not trusted by his followers, and, 
at first, others governed the colony. Much sickness, de- 
privation and hardships came upon its membei-s, and at 
one time it almost became extinct. The hostility of the 
Indians against the whites, caused by some of the leaders, 
added to all their other troubles. Then Captain Smith 
was put in charge, and his energy and resourceful spirit 

348 



RICHMOND, VIRGINIA 

saved the little colony from extinction. He started tlie 
cultivation of tobacco ; and he was successful, his first 
shipment to England selling so well that the future pros- 
perity of the colony was assured. So Anglo-Saxon civ- 
ilization owes its start in America to Captain John Smith 
and to tobacco. 

On another and later occasion, he visited Powhatan; 
and on this occasion he was arrested and doomed to die. 
The judgment was that his head should be placed on a 
block and cut off. The Indians thought that in this way 
they would rid themselves, forever, of his activities and 
those of his associates. He was placed in position for 
execution, but when the Indians raised their weapons to 
carry out the orders of Powhatan, the chief's daughter, 
Pocahontas, threw her bod^^ on the prostrate neck of the 
doomed man, with her arms encircling his head, and 
pleaded with her father to spare his life. 

The obdurate father relented and granted the wish 
of his daughter; and Captain John Smith continued to 
be a whole man, and in due time was permitted to return 
to his colony. Later, an Englishman by the name of 
John Rolfe married Pocahontas, and children were the 
fruit of this marriage. She visited England and was 
feted by royalty. The king called her his daughter, 
and ordered oil paintings made of her. Her act in saving 
Captain John Smith made her a world character. She 
was converted to the Christian belief and baptized, under 
the name of Rebecca, in St. Johns' Episcopal church in 
Richmond, — so it is said; and nearl}^ all the original 
descendants of the natives of Virginia claim to be the 
progeny of this beautiful Indian woman. However, there 
are a few who from modesty keep silent. This is why 
you meet so much aristocracy in the State, for the 

349 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

world gradually grew to adore Pocahontas, and the 
women wanted to claim her as their own. 

Do you know there would be no aristocracy in this 
world if it were not for the women? They build up 
around themselves social castes. They demand that their 
neighbors obey certain rules and regulations which they 
prescribe, while they have a newer and fresher set of 
rules for themselves and their selected associates. These 
lines are as firm and unyielding as armor plate on a 
ship. 

Children early get their mother's likes and dislikes, 
and at last father and husband is brought into the fold. 
Then the race of the Jones 's to keep up with the Smiths, 
in display and accomplishments, starts and the children 
are brought into the whirlpool. The father and husband, 
with check book, brings up the rear. Sometimes he gets 
lost; the pace is too swift; he finds himself without 
funds for his checks and they are worthless. Then hate 
and jealous resentment take the place of smiles and 
sincerity. 

This is so everywhere but here the real natives 
assumed the sole authority to place in the lower left- 
hand corner of their visiting cards, "F. F. V." — First 
Families of Virginia. Now Pocahontas innocently 
started this aristocracy among the women of Virginia; 
and in time it spread into other historical events, for 
Pocahontas could not be accountable for the numerous 
ehiimants to her gentle lovable soul by inheritance. 

Now this is not so with men. Men, by nature, dis- 
position and inclination, drift toward democracy. They 
hate caste and aristocracy. They love the world and 
the freedom of the seas. Women cling to tradition, 
kings, queens, customs, counts and no-accounts ; and 

350 



RICHMOND, VIRGINIA 

they long to be connected with royalty or aristocracy 
by marriage or otherwise. They love to be on the plat- 
form, higher than the others, away from contact with 
democracy. Women, by reason of this, are the cause 
of much of the unrest and misery in the world. Woman 
is intolerant. She loves power and display; and she 
schemes and intrigues in various waj^s in order to be 
surrounded and clothed with these requisites so essen- 
tial for caste building in the social stream of time. 

The Scotch-Irish, largely, made the early settlements 
in Virginia, and no other race of people has such genius 
to overcome obstacles. They are fighting or doing some- 
thing all the time. The}^ rear large families. John 
Marshall, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of 
the United States, was the oldest child of a family of 
seventeen children. In his day, this was not so un- 
usual. They settled in the valleys, the best part of 
Virginia, where blue grass, corn, oats, barley, vege- 
tables and fruits of all kinds grew and were plentiful. 
The early settlements grew and soon became strong. 

But they never had peace. They had to fight for 
their lives. The British, French and Indians would not 
let them alone. They were in a contest most of the time, 
but they prospered. As the result of all this, no State 
in the Union can produce such a list of illustrious names 
of men and women as the State of Virginia. This only 
shows that obstacles, when met and overcome, leave the 
individual with character, muscle, intellectual force and 
energy; also courage, confidence and resourcefulness. 
All of these are essential to success, and the success of 
the individuals composing a community brings success 
to the nation. No nation can be stronger than its sub- 
jects. 

351 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

This is especially so in Virginia, whether in states- 
manship, literature, law, science, art or finance. Look 
at the long list of brilliant names found in the history 
of this State, many of them familiar to all the countries 
of the world. George Washington stands pre-eminently 
first with a large group of brilliant minds surrounding 
him. 

Virginia is quite hilly in parts. It has a temperature 
neither extremely hot nor cold. The soil is up to the 
average, but now large portions of it are exhausted 
because of bad farming. 

However, this State produced a crop of intellectual 
giants, as I have said. In this State Avas prepared the 
Declaration of Independence. Here Mason wrote the 
Bill of Rights for the Colony of Virginia. 

They met in dwellings, in churches and in the open, 
and discussed serious problems of life and State, They 
all were church-going people and took life seriously. 
They carried on a correspondence among themselves, 
offering suggestions and asking advice, for there were no 
newspapers to read and they had no other means of 
informing themselves, outside of the Bible and a few 
books. 

The location of these individuals near each other in 
this State was not an accident. Their environments and 
mode of life rounded out and built up their intellects. 
One was a stimulant to the other; and all contributed 
to a common mental fund that enabled them to elevate 
each of the members to overcome all obstacles and to 
bestow, upon a large portion of the human race, blessings 
of which time alone can unfold the greatness and mag- 
nitude. 

And liere in Richmond was their common meeting 
352 



RICHMOND, VIRGINIA 

place, the cradle of the American Republic and after- 
wards the ''White House" of the Confederacy. Here 
was where these men did their work so well. The Union 
grew and grew until it now has forty-eight stars, and its 
searchlight has driven its rays of light into every dark 
spot on the face of the earth. 

This city and this State are rich, indeed, in history, 
in events, in illustrious names; and Virginia still be- 
longs to the Union founded in 1776, a Union which was 
largely the work of its citizens. 



353 

23 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 



Washington, D. C. 

AS IS provided in the Constitution, the govern- 
ment for the great American Republic has three 
brandies for the transaction of its public busi- 
ness — the Executive, the Legislative and the Judicial. 
The relative importance of these branches is in the 
order named. The powers and duties of each are fully 
set out and described in the Constitution, every depart- 
ment being independent within its limits, — yet co- 
ordinate in its work and duties with the others. 

The Chief Executive, or President, has such large 
discretion in the performance of his duties that his 
action may seriously affect, for good or evil, the life, 
prosperity and happiness of the people; and, at a mo- 
ment's notice, may plunge the country into a war cost- 
ing millions of dollars and millions of lives. The people 
do not realize that the Executive, through action or 
inaction on public questions and policies, has as much 
power, directly and indirectly, if used or misused, as 
has the most autocratic ruler on the face of the earth. 
The other two departments may be forced to defend the 
country, whether right or wrong,— that is "stand by 
the president" to protect its honor or its varied interests. 
The people should be given the machinery to produce 
conservative results,— a representative government; for 
conservatism leads to stability, to law and order, to the 
protection of rights, and to the prevention and correc- 
tion of wrongs. The greatest care and deliberation 
should be used in the selection of the Executive. 

The Legislative part of the Government is divided 
into two branches, the Senate and House of Represent- 

354 



WASHINGTON, D. C. 

atives, containing 96 and 435 members respectively. 
The members of the Senate conduct themselves with 
some dignity and with an air of importance. It is amus- 
ing to see how seriously some members take themselves. 
Many States have adopted the primary law, thus aban- 
doning a representative republican form of government 
to that extent. This law applies equally to the members 
of the House and the Senate; and the result of it gives 
us the most amusing list of public legislators with which 
this countrj^ has been afflicted since it came into exist- 
ence. They were not inspected and thoroughly analyzed 
by their separate districts before being transplanted 
into the beautiful capital to make laws to govern a great 
country. No effort was made to see whether or not 
they were adapted and prepared for such important 
work. As the observer looks down at them at work in the 
chamber, it may be that only eight or ten are present ; 
and of these he sees a member making a great ap- 
peal (through the Congressional Record) to an admiring 
constituency at home on behalf of the farmer, the 
laborer, the poor, but never on behalf of the country or 
the people at large. This would be statesmanship, and 
there are no statesmen here to-day, but many would-be 
statesmen. 

This Government is nearly 140 years old; and yet 
did you ever realize how few senators, through construc- 
tive legislation, have carved their names upon the his- 
torical tablets of the nation as it progressed? The 
number is so small that you drop your head in modesty 
for your country and give thanks that it still lives. The 
present method of selection can get only those men who 
have their eyes turned towards the galleries of the 
present and not to the parchments which are stored 

355 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

away in the vaults and which record great speeches and 
tell of great deeds that will inspire future generations. 
The Congressional Record is the White Angel messenger 
that makes or breaks the reputation of a great man in 
the eyes of the knights, the noble 600, ''over the hill and 
far away." 

The members of the House by their lack of dignity 
and decorum, caused me to feel that men and women 
are monkeys. (The House now has a woman member.) 
Some were visiting; some were reading papers; some 
had their feet on the desks in front of them; some were 
going out and some coming in; while a statesman was 
making a great oration (through the Congressional 
Record) to the dear people in the rural or slum district 
over the hill, ''way back home." Some were smoking 
and some were trying to entertain the lady member 
from Montana, a State way out West. Often not to 
exceed a dozen are present. Sometimes a half dozen 
are on their feet trying to speak at once ; and by and by 
the Speaker recognizes one ardent member who wants 
to ask a question and proceeds to make a speech. Fin- 
ally he stops, the member having the floor proceeds, and 
then the Speaker calls time on him and he sits down. 
This procedure is repeated again and again ; and finally, 
after days of debate and amendments enough to smother 
the proposition beyond recognition, a vote is taken. 
The Speaker rules, doubt arises, and a division is called. 
The affirmative has a representative and so has the op- 
position. These two representatives stand on opposite 
sides of an aisle and the members, one by one, pass 
through and out. As they do this they are counted. 
How fortunate- What a blessing it is only a few are 
present! Think of 435 going through to be counted! 

356 



WASHINGTON, D. C. 

The antics, noise and conduct of the members are really 
and trulj^ like those of monkeys. Darwin was right. 
Men and women came from monkeys ; that is, most men 
and women, judging by their actions, must have come 
from the place where monkeys lived; and because of a 
restless, lazy, twisting disposition they have worn off 
their tails by sitting most of their lives on rough and 
shaggy logs and rocks. 

This is a strange world. These members are paid 
$7,500 a year and mileage and office rent. In addition 
to this, from one to three clerks are furnished, and of 
course the clerks are mostly women, and handsome. 
Wliy should they not remain and debate a whole week 
on an appropriation of $300,000 for free seeds to the 
farmers ? Why, it does not take much to be a congress- 
man, just a district and a majority of the votes therein. 
That is all. No other qualifications are required. Now 
and then, a man of ability escapes and gets in. It is 
an accident however. The salaries paid are excessive. 
It is a godsend to most of them and not a sacrifice at all. 

The members of the Supreme Court look as if they 
were tired and poorly fed. The court-room looked and 
felt stuffy and close. It was not well ventilated. Some 
of the Justices, I fear, dozed slightly when a young at- 
torney was making an address. You know some talk- 
ers, as well as speakers, have a tendency to cause the 
listener to go to sleep. He means all right, but it is 
a gift God has bestowed on individuals as a protection 
from being driven into insanity against their will. With 
all due respect for and to the court, it looked thin and 
worn out and old. I do not mean that some of them 
ought to quit, for it has been said "old men for council 
and young men for war"; and all old men would 

357 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

unhesitatingly endorse this proposition. However, the 
court is not what it used to be. 

Of all the monstrosities the greatest is the ^'Hall of 
Fame" in the capitol. Here may be seen long statues 
and short statues, thin men and heavy weights, some in 
Prince Alberts, some in dress suits and some in cut- 
aways. When one passes around them three or four 
times he thinks he has been 'Hen nights in a ball room." 
Some are in bronze and some in marble. Some are little 
and some are heroic in size. I am sure there is not one 
in the lot who would not walk aw^ay if he ever woke 
up. Congress ought to take pity on them and saw off 
their heads, make busts out of them and place the busts 
upon handsome, uniform, symmetrical pedestals. How 
can the people expect creditable work from their con- 
gressmen surrounded b}^ such effigies? 

The paintings of historical characters, events and 
scenes are magnificent and in distinct contrast to the 
statuary. They are numerous, inspiring, and made on 
a large scale. The capitol itself is beautiful, and has 
a setting worthy of the founders of the Republic. The 
Washington Monument is conspicuous, rising sky- 
ward over 500 feet on Monument Square and overlook- 
ing the whole city ; and the Lafayette monument is near 
by. In the distance is the Lincoln memorial not yet 
finished, costing $2,000,000. 

It is proper and right thus to honor men and women 
who have rendered immortal services to the country 
and of whose sacrifices other generations are enjoying 
and reaping the benefits. Such acts foster patriotism 
and elevate a people to a higher plane of thinking, 
living and acting. They inspire noble deeds in the 
living; and thus one generation contributes to another 

358 



WASHINGTON, D. C. 

heirlooms of priceless value, knitting the people into 
a closer, stronger Union, one for another and one for 
all, and all for one, to the end of time. 

This city is composed of politicians, have-been 
statesmen, office holders, ex-office holders and emploj'ees 
of the Government. These make the skeleton. Their 
wives, daughters, widows and would-be society leaders 
bring the flowers, sunshine, smiles, pink teas, diamonds, 
laces, silks and pets to entertain and amuse the units 
of the Government skeleton. Tradespeople in plenty 
are here to supply their wants with the necessaries of 
life. The women have set up and control the social life 
of Washington. Women, constitutionally and by in- 
stinct, desire and training, are natural born aristocrats. 
The}^ make and enforce the rules controlling and govern- 
ing social life. If the leaders have wealth and some 
intellect they become aristocrats, dictatorial and dom- 
ineering; and when so inclined and situated they un- 
dertake to play politics from the social viewpoint and 
sometimes make and unmake legislation as well as 
statesmen. They act not with the purpose of benefit- 
ing the country, but for purely personal and social 
advantages to themselves and their friends. They often 
interfere with and retard legislation and the execution, 
performance and discharge of the public business. They 
are rather a detriment than a help to the efficient per- 
formance of the public business of the country. 

But they are here, and the public business might 
suffer worse without them. They have created caste 
in the life of Washington. Society here reminds me of 
a soda fountain, where the delectable drinks are mostly 
effervescent with the foam pressing from the bottom 
and the contents of the filled glass placed before you 

359 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

growing and lifting up and creeping over the top. And 
so society is here. There is a pressure from beneath 
upwards all the time, and in ever}^ strata or caste. 

Of course our President and his family are in a class 
by themselves. The women have made him and his 
family the hub, and around this center the social life 
swings. Even he is bound by rules called precedents. 
No harm comes to him if he breaks one occasionally, 
and this he does. He is free to do much as he pleases, 
yet, as a rule, he is careful to maintain the dignity and 
importance of the office which he holds. A set of social 
rules governs the members of his cabinet. And so it is 
with foreign ambassadors and ministers, the Vice-pres- 
ident and members of the Senate, the Speaker and 
members of the House, and the members of the Supreme 
Court. All adhere strictly to social rules in the per- 
formance of their duties; and each and every one of 
these public officials is sensitive and exacting in demand- 
ing that they be observed and obeyed, officially and 
socially, among themselves as well as by the public, 
which pays the bills and asks no questions. All this is 
the evidence of power and authority granted and given 
by the people that, they may be governed by law and 
order; and this is government. 

The rules are so many and complicated, that they 
are sometimes disputed, and friction arises, causing 
slight disturbances to the social life, and thus indirectly 
affecting public business. But public business is in no 
way concerned therein. One would think it would stop 
at this, but society has decreed otherwise. 

The records of positions held, the past history of 
public officials and the positions and salaries of the 
thousands of government employees are printed and 
kept in book form. 

360 



WASHINGTON, D. C. 

The wife of a newly elected Congressman is lost, ex- 
cept as to the wives of Congressmen who were elected 
at the same time. The wife of a new member must 
make the first call on the wife of an older member, 
otherwise she never gets into the circle; and then she 
takes chances on holding on or being counted. This 
spirit permeates all Washington society. The employees 
and clerks are classified by salaries. A $1,500 clerk will 
not associate with a $1,000 clerk, and so on up and 
down. This creates a desire, which expands into a 
struggle for those who are down to get up. Exhaustion 
of resources and energies are used up for social better- 
ment rather than in doing Avell the public business. 
Wives and children are made miserable, and husbands 
are driven to strong drink, or to praying for a pension 
in old age because of the great services rendered an un- 
grateful government. 

To keep up appearances and be able to smile in the 
uplift movement, a large percentage of the employees 
have gotten into the habit of anticipating their salaries 
by borrowing small amounts from month to month at 
large interest rates. This of course adds to their misery 
and misfortunes. 

It is my honest belief that there is but little happi- 
ness in Washington, because of this false and fitful 
social life, — this vanit}^ and ambition and desire for 
position of power and influence, be it little or great. 
There must be a fascination about it, because ''states- 
men" as well as government employees, when once in 
the circle, never let go until death, unless driven out 
before. Even when the relation is severed, they re- 
main watching and waiting for something to turn up. 

You will find many "ex's" here, and some are 
favored as the wheel of fortune turns round, for 

361 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

Congress is constantly creating new commissions with 
new positions for ex-senators, ex-representatives and ex- 
everybodies. This is no place for the young man or 
woman with life and energy, genuine red blood, and 
a desire to grow into something worth while. I once 
saw a poem, "Don't leave the farm, boys," and this 
will apply to girls. Plant yourselves in localities where 
life and activities inspire you to do things worth while. 

The Army and Navy circles are as bad as the rest, 
and this is why you read of so many clashes in boards 
and bureaus — social jealousies rather than efficient pub- 
lic service for the public good. 

Truthfully, I found the beggar, hobo and tramp the 
happiest inhabitant in Washington, D. C. ; and it has 
many within its folds. Even with its magnificent struc- 
tures and imposing statues and monuments, it has 
hovels and cheap eating places in plenty; and there are 
public fountains of drinking water, parks and little 
nooks and corners everywhere, with seats were a tramp 
can sit and rest his tired body. While thus resting his 
body, he can work his brain in observing the wealth 
and social life, the beauty, youth and power which 
passes before him like a film in a moving picture show 
and which he can enjoy without money or price. 

The British set fire to Washington in the war of 
1812, and the ''White House" was partially burned. 
It was repaired and covered and made white. It oc- 
cupies a large block filled with stately trees, beautiful 
flowers and shrubbery. The grounds are spacious and 
beautiful, and our President can promenade and re- 
tire from noise and molestation, for they are sur- 
i-ounded by a high iron fence and guarded by police- 
in on nnd secret service men. 

362 



WASHINGTON, D. C. 

When he goes for a ride, two motorcycle men go 
along, one on each side of his automobile; and an auto- 
mobile follows closely filled with secret service men. 
Thus he is guarded whether riding or walking. He 
frequently attends theaters, and goes walking about 
the city like any other citizen. 

On one side of the AVhite House are the State, War 
and Navy Departments under one roof. On the other 
side is the Treasury Department; and not far away 
and to the southeast are the Smithsonian Institute, 
and the National Museum, the Red Cross, the Pan 
American and the Daughters of the Revolution build- 
ings. The Washington Monument is just beyond. 

The official life of Washington is increasing so 
rapidly, by enactments of Congress in creating new 
departments and commissions, that it is compelled to 
rent space; and the Government has offices in old resi- 
dences and buildings by the score in every direction, 
making the transaction of our business expensive, in- 
convenient and inefficient. The more our Government 
assumes and undertakes to do, the more expensive and 
inefficient it will become, because of the frequent and 
extensive changes in its public servants. This will nev- 
er be otherwise so long as the Republic lives, and it 
can perform the greatest service and bring the greatest 
good to the largest number of its people by limiting 
its duties to the administration of public affairs of a 
political nature only. The initiative of private enter- 
prise should be fostered and encouraged, and when it 
affects the public weal, it should be controlled and reg- 
ulated within the light of reason. We have been 
drifting away from a representative government into 
a wasteful, extravagant, paternal Government, — away 

363 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

from strength to weakness in citizenship. We should 
remember that no government is stronger than the 
ideals held and maintained by its collective citizen- 
ship. 

Over fifty-two years ago, General Lee surrendered 
to General Grant at Appomattox, Virginia; and with 
that surrender was lost about all that seemed to be 
left of the Confederacy. Shortly afterwards, the Ku 
Klux Klan was organized, and remained active for a 
period of four years. Twenty-seven years ago the 
Confederates organized the ''V. S. C," veterans of the 
Southern Confederacy, which organization corresponds 
with what is known among the Federal troops as the 
'^G. A. R." 

From 1861 to 1865, the Confederates tried hard to 
capture the city of Washington, D. C, the seat of 
government of the United States. The Confederate 
capital was at Richmond, Virginia, about 115 miles 
south. So the State of Virginia became the battlefield 
to determine the supremacy of the two forces, and 
scores of battles were fought around and between the 
two cities. Richmond fell, but AVashington remained 
in possession of the United States government until 
June 4, 1917, when, through diplomatic and political 
pressure, the V. S. C. captured that place; and men, 
women and children by the thousands marched into the 
city as an organization, took possession and held it for 
four days. 

To many of the old Confederates, ranging from 
seventy to eighty-five years of age, this was like going 
to Heaven. President Wilson was proclaimed as one 
of them. They had the majority in the upper and 
lower houses of Congress. They had possession of all 

364 



WASHINGTON, D. C. 

of the thousands of offices already existing; and, in 
addition, many new ones were created. Tliey danced 
with joy, everywhere and on all occasions. Were they 
not right? Why should they not dance after waiting 
so long to enter the forbidden city? 

The Federals stood for the ''Union, one and in- 
separable." The Confederates stood for States Rights, 
that is, the repudiation of the laws of the National Gov- 
ernment when not agreeable, and the right of the States 
to withdraw and refuse to obey. In truth and in fact, 
it was a fight over the colored man, — as to whether or 
not an.yone had a right to own him, to make him work 
and to receive the profits from his toil. 

It is a strange coincidence that this nation, now re- 
united, has just passed a law^ of conscription to pre- 
pare an army to fight Germany. Quite a number of 
men and some women opposed this law and refused to 
register. The government officials said it was treason 
not to do so because it was a refusal to support the 
Government and its laws. Steps were taken to arrest 
and punish all such offenders, and the Government is 
now so doing. The question is : What is treason ? In 
what way do these two positions differ — except possibly 
by organization? This is a strange w^orld. 

The Veterans of the Southern Confederacy were 
received by the public officials and the city with open 
arms. The President attended their functions and 
made them welcome. Thc}^ were royally entertained 
and feted by national and city officials and citizens of 
Washington. Things seem to be different in these 
latter days. As time passes along and the future comes 
in and unfolds its interesting and complex problems 
the meaning of words changes. With new meanings 

365 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

attached to words, the actions and deeds of one genera- 
tion do not appear the same to a sncceeding genera- 
tion; at least, a different rule of condnct is applied. 
What is a crime in one generation may be a noble act 
in the next generation or vice versa. How hard it is 
for one to understand and be just ! Hence it is said 
''Judge not that ye be not judged,'' and so we shall 
let it rest. 

The organization known as the Veterans of the 
Southern Confederacy is composed of camps, with 
separate organizations in the eleven seceding States. 
It holds a yearly reunion and gathers at some desig- 
nated place to keep alive the friendships and to recount 
the struggles and hardships of 1861-65. Of course it 
soon grew into a political body, the better to protect 
its social, political and economic conditions. 

When the members of a body of people suffer alike 
and from the same cause, the bonds of union become 
closer and dearer to the individuals. Pity and sympa- 
thy grow and expand with time, and thus, as a unit, 
their forces are directed to protect and preserve the 
body corporate as a shield for the individual members 
thereof. 

This is why the Confederates have clung together 
like one family, and have kept green, for these many 
years, the memory of the trials and struggles of the 
past. The camps are the home units of the greater or- 
ganization, where local members can meet and plan 
and help and work for one another. Their thoughts 
and acts are provincial for the past and selfish for'the 
future. They have not been, and are not now, living 
that new and broader life that is nation-wide and is 
waitnig to be adopted by them. They are chained to 

366 



WASHINGTON, D. C. 

the past, and are not strong enough to break away into 
the light of a new day of sunshine and flowers — a land 
of promise filled with corn and wine and oil. 

This organization has influenced the political, social 
and domestic life of the South. By nature woman is 
sympathetic, and will defend all those who are dear to 
her, whether they are right or wrong. In the South 
she has been true to her nature. She fought for and 
with the men of her household. She has never ceased 
to flght, even unto this day. It is she who keeps the 
Southern prejudices and animosities alive, in all their 
forms, throughout the South. She has her memorial 
associations and other organizations more or less con- 
nected with the Lost Cause. A half-century ago, she 
was looked upon and treated as the pet and the queen 
of the family. The men loved her, and loved her 
dearly. She was shielded and protected in every 
way. She was surrounded by comfort and ease and 
beauty, and her conduct was governed by strict social 
rules. She was chaperoned from childhood to w^omen- 
hood; she was secluded in the home and provided with 
music and flowers and tutors and wholesome books. 
She was as hard to meet as a queen on a throne. 

It is not so in these days. The railroad and indus- 
trial enterprises are rapidly making a new South. 
Commercial and economic conditions are making a new 
manhood and womanhood, — a manhood and woman- 
hood of independence and self reliance. The loss of 
cheap labor in slavery is having its influence. For- 
merly the question was: ''Who were your ancesters? 
Show us your pedigree." Now it is coming more and 
more to be: ''What have you done that is worth 
while?" 

367 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

It is service— your service — that counts in the end. 
Descendants counting on ancestors for worth and merit 
soon become extinct and pass away like the aroma 
from the rose. It takes time and external influences, 
as well as economic conditions, to bring about impor- 
tant changes in a people. The evolution is slow, because 
of habits, associations and customs which pass away 
one by one. Formerly, these camps selected, by vote, 
a ''Maid of Honor" to accompany the members to these 
reunions. She had to have a pedigree of distinguished 
ancestry. Gradually the candidates for this honor grew 
in number; and "beauty" as well as pedigree, began 
to play its part. The camp paid all expenses of the 
young lady except the cost of her wardrobe. This her 
devoted parents furnished, and it became more elabor- 
ate in time, for the lady sometimes met her "fate." 

Rivalry for this distinction arose; and, as only one 
"Maid of Honor" could be chosen, the position of 
"Sponsor" was created and another lady was chosen. 
With the passing of time the women became active; 
and a "Chaperon" had to be chosen. This brought the 
wife and mother, daughter and children — a great big 
family reunion under the name of the V. S. C. The 
mothers would dress their daughters up like queens; 
balls were given for the young people; and the young 
men would spend their last dollar to be "present." 
And so these meetings became great social events, and 
the one held in Washington was the ' ' greatest ' ' of them 
all. The cream of the young womanhood of the South 
was there. An Italian Prince, Udine, was in town. 
The young were beautiful in appearance, gentility 
and graciousness ; and this beauty had an appropriate 
setting in their handsome gowns. 

368 J- 



WASHINGTON, D. C. 

The old Veterans are to be envied. The young 
woman must reject all offers and give the old Veterans 
the first dance if any should ask her. After that, she 
is free. He can kiss her, embrace her and treat her as 
his daughter; and many of them did. The old graij 
headed fellows seemed to get suddenly young. There 
was a spirit of good will, one toward another. There 
were possibly 20,000 in attendance at the reunion, and 
half of them were at the different dances. The old 
Veterans decorated the maids and their sponsors and 
chaperons with flowers in profusion. They were 
gentle, considerate and deferential on all occasions. 
The old men prefer this social life to work and business. 
Some . who are much younger refused to work. In 
fact, the number who are not disposed to work is very 
large. This habit and desire have retarded the South, 
and it is fifty years behind the times. Many from the 
North and New England have gone to the South, and 
much of the present commercial advancement is due 
to their activity. New England, with its millions of 
people who are largely consumers, is less than 300 
miles away, affording the South the greatest market 
in the world because of its buying power. The light 
of this great opportunity, neglected so long, is now 
beginning to dawn upon them. The railroads, with 
their improvements and extensions, are pressing the 
development of the South, and the future possibilities 
are not realized by the people. Having started, the 
future growth of the South will doubtless be rapid. 

This city and its territory are very properly classi- 
fied with the South, because its birth was in the South 
and its history and tendencies have been largely con- 
nected with and dominated by the South. 

369 
24 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

Two Southern States, Virginia and Maryland, con- 
tributed ten miles square from their holdings to the 
people of the United States. This is the ground upon 
which the city is located. Of these two States, Virginia 
and Maryland, one was the leader of the colonies 
in rebellion against England. The other was at her 
side. During the Civil War, one seceded from the 
Union and some of its citizens controlled the Confed- 
eracy to the day of surrender ; while the other, torn with 
dissensions, aided and gave comfort and assistance to 
the losing cause. 

Since 1865 the South has looked upon this city as 
an enemy in her midst, governed and controlled by a 
powerful force from without, the Union of States, Amer- 
ica. They know that this Union must be respected and 
obeyed; and that any advantage won by them politi- 
cally must come through diplomacy and the adhesion 
of the units which went down to defeat at Appomattox. 
For nearly sixty years the Southern people have been 
loyal to each other; and thus at times they have won 
victories over superior strength when discussions and 
divisions have weakened the opposition. To-day, 
through President Wilson, they have absolute control; 
and for the first time, citizens who wore the gray, in 
other sections at another time and under another flag, 
in an effort to destroy the Union, again wear the gray 
and march to music under the flag that floats at the 
dome of the Capitol building at the foot of the most 
famous avenue in America. And should this be con- 
sidered now as an evidence of disloyalty, in the face of 
another and greater war to sustain which conscription 
has been enacted into law and against which all op- 
position is suppressed and overt acts punished by 

370 



WASHINGTON, D. C. 

confinement or otherwise? It seems to me that democ- 
racies permit many inconsistent things and have a crude, 
cumbersome way of administering law and equity and 
justice, and of making rules and laws commanding 
what is right and prohibiting what is \\a'ong. In the 
name of liberty, we often license or tolerate things 
that naturally and easily encourage other things which 
we severely punish. To err, indeed, is human. But to 
condone or exalt a ^vrong, whatever the circumstances, 
leads to the commission of other wrongs. A wrong to 
be condoned should be forgotten, and to forget means 
to obliterate. It should be permitted to remain dead 
and not resurrected — even to Ha^c a minute. 

Washington is a beautiful city from every view- 
point. The streets are very wide, of easy grades, well 
paved and clean. The side-walks are exceptionally 
wide and in good condition, and it is a pleasure to 
travel around over them. In the main, they are clean 
and well cared for. 

Washington is a city unto itself; and, being the 
Capital, the seat of government, controlled and man- 
aged b}^ Congress and the President, it should be per- 
fect in cleanliness, beauty and management, — a model 
for all other American cities. This city presents an 
opportunity to show what government ownership can 
do. There should be established here such social and 
economic conditions in the way of comforts, pleasures 
and living costs as to make it one of the best governed 
cities in the world, — a city after which our other cities 
may copy. 

Its streets are designated in three ways, by names 
or avenues, by letters and by numbers. Until you be- 
come familiar with the general plan, it is easy to become 

371 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

confused and even lost and be compelled to walk many 
blocks out of your way before you again get your 
location; but when one becomes acquainted, he finds it 
is the best planned city in America, and the easiest to 
get over. The angles in the streets are connected with 
the avenues by little parks and resting places. These 
are filled with trees, shrubbery and flowers; and some 
have seats. This makes it a most attractive residential 
city. It is a city filled with statuary and monuments, 
recalling and perpetuating past historical events, and 
in memory of some of our famous citizens. Volumes 
of the past are thus skillfully carved and written in 
stone and bronze. There are so many of them that 
Washington might very properl}' be called the city of 
monuments ; and all of them have been erected in honor 
of the Union and the Stars and Stripes. 

The city has a population of possibly 375,000, 
175,000 being colored people. They are not segregated 
as the colored people are in all other Southern cities. 
They live everywhere and in all parts of the city. 
Many of them have accumulated valuable real estate, 
and a great many own their own homes. They bought 
lots when the city was small and when land was not 
worth much. A colored man seldom sells real estate 
after he gets it paid for, unless he is forced to part with 
it. The past few years have seen the city grow and 
expand in every direction and this has made the early 
purchases of the colored people advance rapidly in 
value. He lives in a little cottage, and residential prop- 
erty around him owned by the whites is often vacant 
and unprofitable. It is estimated that the growth of 
the city and this condition have caused about 100,000 
houses, apartments and buildings in the city to be 

372 



WASHINGTON, D. C. 

vacant. This will always be the condition, more or 
less, because it is a political and not a commercial city. 
It is a residential city, wherein the poor will become 
poorer and the rich richer. As the country grows, the 
city will grow in numbers and attractiveness, and 
wealth will naturally gravitate towards it. 

When it was first selected as the capital and the 
location of the building fixed, a few real estate men 
organized a realty company and obtained George Wash- 
ington's active co-operation; and the city was named 
after him. This realty company bought many acres 
east of the Capitol building and subdivided them into 
lots. This was the most beautiful and sightly location 
around Washington. The Capitol was so built that 
the heroic statue standing at the very top of the dome 
faces east. The realty company and the power in con- 
trol expected the city to grow in that direction; and as 
planned by Washington and his associates, it should 
have so grown. Some good men in those days seemed 
to be weak, at times, just as some good men are weak 
in the present day. The values they placed on the lots 
were so high that the people rebelled and bought and 
built west of the Capitol building; and in this direc- 
tion the city of Washington has grown ever since. 
Therefore the statue on the dome has its back to the 
city and looks far beyond it. As time passed by, the 
realty owned by the company on the east depreciated 
and became largely settled by colored people. Just in 
the last few years, it began to advance in value as 
w^hite people began to buy it up and it is now command- 
ing good prices. 

The growth of the city in the future will be the 
same as it was in the past. All the later government 

373 



THE SUNNY SOUTH xVND ITS PEOPLE 

buildings have been and are being built toward the 
west. All government buildings are substantially built 
and attractive in every way. The Congressional Libra- 
ry building is the only one erected on the east. There 
are a few good drygoods stores, but nearly all the 
stores in commercial lines are shops. Some are attrac- 
tive and some otherwise. They might properly be 
called flats or apartments, where everything is ready 
and awaiting the purchaser. Prices are reasonable. In 
fact one can live here as cheap as in any city in America, 
— that is he can float in any channel not beyond the 
depth of his purse. He can belong to the high church 
or the low church. They are both here; and one never 
can tell what change to-morrow may make in his asso- 
ciates of to-day. The city is getting large enough for 
one to hide his identity. There is more dignified pov- 
erty here to the block than in any other city in Amer- 
ica. People try to be somebody, socially or politically, 
on one meal a day; and that meal may be soup and 
oyster crackers, price ten cents. Fortunately, the 
prices of some commodities are very reasonable here. 
The following are samples: Haircut fifteen cents, 
shine five cents, shave ten cents, street car tickets six 
for a quarter, newspapers free in the hotel lobbies when 
guests throw them down, if an ex-statesman does not 
get them first. 

The city is getting some good hotels. Most of the 
old ones are still in use, and all have a history. The 
charges for rooms fluctuate as the crowds come and go. 
A revenue bill is introduced in Congress taxing every 
thing and everybody; the crowd flocks to Washington, 
D. C, and hotel rates go up. But the wages of the 
maid remain the same. She looks after twelve rooms, 

374 



WASHINGTON, D. C. 

gets fourteen dollars a month and boards herself. How 
would you like to be a maid in a Washington, D. C, 
hotel? Then ask who pays the freight. What would 
Christ do if he were on earth to-day and heard the 
story of the poor maid? The hotels are crowded, and 
the rate on small rooms is from $2.50 up, on the 
European plan, which plan is: While getting, get all 
you can. I am not certain there is another world; but 
if there is not there ought to be to measure out to some 
people the things that are due them. 

Girls in the stores get from three to five dollars a 
week. Cash girls get two dollars a week. Men clerks 
get from seven to twelve dollars a week. When 
married, each loves his wife and all her people, more 
from necessity, no doubt, than from the genuine, old 
fashioned attachment sometimes called love. Consider- 
ing your own experiences, have you not in the past 
wondered how your neighbor weathered the storms 
and yet looked prosperous and occasionally smiled? 
Don't investigate. He might be out late at night and 
sleep during a portion of the day, and this would make 
you unhappy. Washington, D. C, is like most cap- 
itals, no place for a poor man or woman or anyone out 
of a job or out of money. 

Neither is it a pleasant place to live, climatically 
speaking. In times past snows have been deep and 
the weather nearly twenty below zero. In the summer 
it is hot. You remember that on one occasion when 
President Taft had an extra session of Congress on 
his hands and when some Progressives were causing 
him much trouble, he had to sit on a cake of ice. A 
Progressive is a descendant of the ''Wise Men of the 
East," with abnormal mind and a tendency to prophecy 

375 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

dire calamities if the greater persisted in refusing to 
yield to the lesser in affairs of State. At any rate, 
]Mr. Taft lost nearly 100 pounds in weight and was put 
to great expense in remodeling his wardrobe, especially 
his ''pants." The changes in climate are often sudden 
and extreme. This may be caused, at times, by the 
large volume of gas explosions, together with the hand 
grenades tossed into the arena of debate. However 
when the political microbe once gets attached, regard- 
less of climate, resignation seldom occurs. 



376 



MT. VERNON, VIRGINIA 



Mt. Vernon, Virginia 

ABOUT sixteen miles south of Washington, D. C, 
on a high, pleasant slope on the bank of the 
famous Potomac River, was the home of George 
and Martha Washington, the first President and the 
first lady of the American Republic. 

It is an ideally beautiful spot. The house is situated 
in an open space, skirted by large trees on either side. 
This gives a fine, unobstructed view of the Potomac 
and the woods beyond; and one can see for miles up 
and down the river. A large veranda extends the full 
length of the porch, and there are eas.y chairs and 
benches on the lawn. The mansion is white; it is large 
and spacious and Colonial in appearance, just the home 
for a rich, educated country gentleman. George Wash- 
ington was the owner of a plantation of about 8,000 
acres and between 200 and 300 slaves. For this period 
he was a rich man, leaving at his death an estate that 
would be noteworthy even to-day. 

He had many outbuildings. These were necessary 
for the proper care and housing of his slaves and the 
overseers who managed his plantation. There were 
also carriage houses and stables for his horses. George 
and Martha Washington both loved flowers, and they 
had beautiful flower gardens most pleasingly arranged. 
We can imagine that the beautiful, kindly Martha im- 
pressed her individuality on the plants and flowers and 
shrubbery she watched over. Everything connected with 
the house is preserved in its original state, as nearly as 
possible, including the fences, the benches, and the 
chairs and furniture in the residence; also the dishes, 

377 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

pans and kitchen utensils as they were when owned 
and used by Martha Washington and by Miss Custis, 
her relative and adopted daughter. 

The farm was extensive and it required two grist 
mills to grind the grain raised on it. Large quantities 
of wheat, oats, rye, barley, corn, etc., were produced on 
the plantation; and Washington owned his own ships 
to market his produce. 

The whole atmosphere of the home and its surround- 
ings conveys restfulness, quietude and reverence. It 
is a place fit to be occupied by beautiful souls think- 
ing only beautiful thoughts, — thoughts of the things 
without and beyond. Neither the desire for political 
and social recognition nor the struggle for the gratifi- 
cation of selfish ambitions ever entered this household 
to mar or disturb the simple lives and noble purposes 
of the family circle. They had chosen to travel in the 
pathway which leads to the ''house not made with 
hands, eternal in the heavens." 

We mistrust that this was Martha's wish and will 
and that George wanted to please Martha. Thus woman 
holds in her hand the strength and power to make of 
her home and her family what she will. She can make 
it a power for evil, or she can make it a power for good. 
The influences of the members of a good household 
radiate in all directions like the sweet perfume of the 
rose. Refined culture is exhilarating and beautiful. 
It is greater than riches and more lasting and pleasing 
than social honors. 

The State of Virginia passed an act chartering the 
Mt. Vernon Association. The plan was conceived and 
brought to a successful conclusion by an invalid woman, 
when private parties were about to get possession of 

378 



MT. VERNON, VIRGINIA 

the estate. Congress refused or neglected to take any 
steps toward its acquisition and preservation as a me- 
morial to its distinguished owner; so this little lady, 
Miss Pamela Cunningham of South Carolina, per- 
formed the patriotic act of preserving this homestead 
intact for the benefit of all America. 

It is managed by twenty-eight women, one from 
a State. Not all the States are represented. They 
meet once a year, and move in and occupy the place 
for ten days. Their services are donated, mileage, 
only, being paid. They trace down any and every- 
thing which was at one time the property of this 
family; so it is filled with most interesting family heir- 
looms such as chairs, clocks, watches, glasses, books 
and everything domestic, including the old rag car- 
pets. The efforts of the ladies are noble and grand 
and will be an inspiration to all future generations. 
Over 150,000 people visited Mt. Vernon during the 
year 1916. This shows that the public appreciates their 
efforts. To protect, maintain and care for the property, 
a small charge of twenty-five cents is collected at the 
entrance gate. 

Washington was a devoted church attendant. Alex- 
ander, a small town eight miles away, had the nearest 
church. Here he attended Christ Church, Episcopalian. 
He and Robert E. Lee were both vestrymen in their time. 
The pews they occupied remain the same to this day. 

In those days, Virginia public highways were \ery 
bad after a rain, and sometimes it required six horses to 
pull George and Martha to church. This devotion you 
do not see these days. Strange to sa}^, Virginia has these 
bad roads after a rain even unto this day, not only here 
but all over the State. This is caused by the manner in 

379 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

which the people of the State cling to tradition and the 
fine ancestral customs of long ago. They ought to 
awaken, for to-morrow they may die. 

At the age of sixteen, Washington surveyed and laid 
out the town of Alexander. Here he served as master 
in Lodge No. 10 A. F. and A. M. The chair he occupied 
is enclosed in a glass case. 

Not far away stands the Carl^de House where he 
and othei-s met and planned the War of Independence. 
After all, it seems hut yesterday, so quickly does time 
pass by. 

A new tomb has been built by the good women and in 
it rest the remains of George and Martha Washington. 
Twenty-two of their relatives are near by. Four descend- 
ants are still living, some being employed by the Govern- 
ment. 

Washington passed away in 1799, three years before 
the death of his wife. She had a tomb built for him, 
which is still preserved. It was located in such a way 
that by moving her sleeping apartment upstairs she could 
lie in bed on awakening and look out at the resting place 
of her beloved companion. This shows the grief and 
loneliness of the wife and the sadness of the broken 
family. It was a beautiful example of devotion for the 
father and mother of the Republic to leave to their 
children. 

The following article will be of interest to the reader : 

Col. J. A. Washington, Last Private Owner of 

Mt. Vernon 

Mt. Vernon, Virginia, the former home of George and 

Martha Washington and the most interesting mansion 

in the United States, has had a continuously interesting 

history connected with it, aside from the associations with 

380 



MT. VERNON, VIRGINIA 

the first President of the United States and the first of 
the first ladies of the land. 

Colonel Washington, who had become proprietor of 
the paternal estate on the Rappahannock, acquired the 
magnificent domain of Mt. Vernon upon the death of 
the widow of his half brother, Lawrence Washington, 
and shortly after his marriage he began to occupy it, 
and it was his home up to the time of his death. 

Upon the death of Martha Washington, on May 22, 
1802, about 4,000 acres of the Mt. Vernon estate were 
inherited by Judge Bushrod Washington, the third child 
of John Augustine Washington. Judge Washington was 
a justice of the Supreme Court of the United States, and 
took up his residence at Mt. Vernon, where he dis- 
pensed a liberal hospitality and kept intact his inherited 
landed estate to the time of his death. 

Judge Washington had no children, and, following 
the example of his illustrious uncle, he provided for his 
wife during her lifetime, and then disposed of his estate 
to his nephews and nieces, giving specific directions 
and leaving the mansion house and Mt. Vernon farm 
proper, with restricted bounds, to his nephew, John Au- 
gustine Washington, and Mt. Vernon was inherited by 
this John's son of the same name, from which the home 
and 2,000 acres were purchased in 1856 by the society 
which now controls it and cares for it. 

The work of obtaining the necessary funds, $200,000, 
for the purchase was started by Miss Pamela Cunning- 
ham of South Carolina, who became the first regent. The 
vice-regents each appointed State committees, and the 
money raised was nearly all in dollar subscriptions. The 
greatest amount of money raised by any individual was 
the profits accruing from the lectures on Washington 
delivered in most of the large cities by Edward Everett. 

381 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

The last private owner of Mt. Vernon was Colonel 
John Augustine Washington. On the breaking out of 
hostilities between the States he became a volunteer aid, 
with the rank of colonel, on the staff of Gen. Robert 
E. Lee and was killed September 15, 1861, while con- 
ducting a reconnoissance on the turnpike along Elk 
Water River, Randolph County, West Virginia. 

The following account of his death is not contained 
in history, but was related by Col. J. H. Morrow, who 
commanded a brigade of four regiments under Gen. 
George B. McClellan in the West Virginia campaign at 
that time, and in whose arms Colonel Washington ex- 
pired. General Lee had established his headquarters at 
Brady's tollgate, on the old State turnpike. The bluffs 
on the opposite side of the river from the old road had 
been heavily picketed by Federal soldiers for several 
miles, extending from Colonel Morrow's camp below 
quite up to Brady's gate. 

Owing to the mountainous character of the surround- 
ing country General Lee was imperfectly informed in 
this regard, and directed Colonel Washington, with a 
detachment, to proceed by the new road to the forks 
at or near Brady 's gate and then down the old road, cau- 
tioning him not to venture beyond a certain point. Wash- 
ington, however, it appears, probably actuated by over- 
zeal and anxiety to be able to report valuable information, 
went beyond the point indicated. 

His movements along the entire route on the old 
road were, as it seems, fully observed by the pickets, 
and immediately after he finally started on his return a 
volley was delivered from the picket line, and Washing- 
ton was seen to fall from his horse, which galloped away 
with the retreating escort. 

382 



MT. VERNON, VIRGINIA 

Colonel Washington was apparently the only one 
struck by the volley. Colonel Morrow states he was 
standing but a short distance from where Washington 
fell, and hurried to the spot and discovered him to be 
an officer of rank. He knelt by him and raised him so 
as to enable him to recline against his breast, and directed 
one of his men, standing near and who wore a felt hat, 
to run and fill it with water from the stream. Colonel 
Morrow bathed the wounded man's forehead and en- 
deavored to press water between his lips from a satu- 
rated handkerchief, but he did not swallow, as blood was 
flowing from his mouth and nose, and a few minutes 
later he was dead. His death marked the end of the 
fighting Washingtons. 



383 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 



Annapolis, Maryland 

THIS is a very old town, being among the first set- 
tlements in America; and therefore it is rich in 
the history of stirring events that occurred dur- 
ing the Colonial period. The King of England granted 
to George Calvert, Lord Baltimore, a charter for a large 
tract of land bordering on the Chesapeake Bay in Amer- 
ica. Lord Baltimore, who was a Catholic, had rendered 
service to the crown; and this was his reward. 

Cacilius Calvert, the second Baron of Baltimore, 
founded the Province of Maryland, now the State of 
Maryland. He sent his first colonists to his new prov- 
ince in 1634, after the death of his father, George 
Calvert. 

Captain John Smith came here from Jamestown in' 
1608, and found the land in possession of Indians. The 
first settlement was at St. Marys, about 100 miles south 
of the present capital; and the province was named 
Maryland, after the queen of England, whose name was 
Maria. The official life of the Province was moved from 
the old site of St. Marys to the present capital, which, 
by legislative act, in the year 1695, was named Annapo- 
lis. It has been known by that name ever since, and is 
the present capital of the State. 

Since the beginning, England has had many kings 
and queens and Maryland many governors. It early 
took an active part in government, resenting some of 
the acts of Lord Baltimore and his descendants, as well 
as those of the kings of Great Britain, especially on 
taxation. The irritations disturbing Massachusetts, Vir- 
ginia, and other colonies, had the same influence on the 

384 



ANNAPOLIS, MARYLAND 

colonists of the Province of Maryland ; and results were 
the same. The exchange of views by delegates from 
different colonies in public assemblies resulted, in time, 
in a confederation of colonies for a united opposition 
to the laws and treatment of the English government 
and its representatives sent over from time to time. 

All these disturbances and differences were only the 
embryonic forces and steps leading up to the formation 
of a new power and a new life for these sturdy pio- 
neers who had suffered much and were still suffering 
in a strange and lonely land removed far from civiliz- 
ation. The means of communication were difficult be- 
cause of lack of facilities. Publications were isolated 
and few public highways existed. The post was by word 
of mouth which was carried over a wilderness, through 
swamps and woods inhabited by wild beasts and hostile 
Indians and often over streams and rivers which were 
crossed by fording and swimming. 

And thus the early pioneer laid the solid stone foun- 
dation, erected thereon the American Republic and 
embellished the structure with ornaments, which are 
emblematical of the sturdy, wholesome moral and in- 
tellectual characters of the builders. 

Strong human characters are thus made. To meet 
obstacles and heroically overcome them develops strong 
men and women, who do things worth while, not only 
for tl\,emselves, but for their fellow men and women. 
The downy bed of feathers never got a man or woman 
anywhere in the intellectual or commercial world. This 
is where parents who are rich or well to do bring de- 
struction to their children. They toil not neither do they 
spin; they leave the world without contribution towards 
its betterment or enrichment ; and their going is a profit 

385 
25 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

and not a loss, because it relieves the world of a non- 
productive burden. 

So these Colonials met in Philadelphia, New York 
and other places, wherever most convenient. Here, on 
the capital grounds, stands a little one-story house with 
two rooms and a vault. Its walls are of brick, possibly 
two feet thick, strong and substantial. This was the cap- 
ital of the Province of Maryland. It was in this build- 
ing that meetings of the Congress of the Colonials were 
held from time to time. Here were Madison, Monroe, 
Washington, Henry, Hancock, Hamilton, Jefferson and 
a long list of real patriots. It was here that their life 
blood was tendered as money. The lock on this building 
was as large as a panel in a door and the key was as 
large as a man's forearm. In the vault were stored the 
valuable papers and documents for safe keeping. And 
they were precious papers. Did these plain, sincere, 
honest pioneers realize how precious they were? What 
a structure they were erecting without noise or commo- 
tion ! Unselfishly, without pay, and for the benefit and 
good of the present and of future generations, they 
chanced all. Do we, the living, appreciate the inheri- 
tance ? If we could only have such public servants now, 
we could all arise and say: ^'As you have been faithful 
ill little things, we can trust you to do greater things." 

This Province produced four signers to the Declar- 
ation of Independence,— Charles Carrol, Samuel Chase, 
William Poco and Thomas Stone. 

Here Washington came on November 21, 1781. The 
Colonial Congress was in session, and he surrendered 
his commission and his sword. And to this city the 
treaty of peace made with England in 1815 was brought 
by Christopher Hughes who was on his way to Wash- 

386 



ANNAPOLIS, MARYLAND 

ington to get the signature of President Madison. This 
treaty declared peace the second time, and that peace 
has lasted over one hundred years. 

The senate chamber has been preserved, together 
with the little gallery at the back for visitors. Here 
is also the President's chair which he used when he 
presided, and the old mahogany desk to the right of 
which Washington stood and made his address. Im- 
bedded in the floor where he stood is a bronze tablet 
in memory of this historical event. On the wall is a 
fine oil painting of Washington and his two aids, La- 
fayette, and Colonel Tilgham. In this painting, Wash- 
ington appears without his wig. In the house chamber 
there is a fine oil painting of the Continental Army 
passing in review, and of Washington holding in his 
hand the Articles of Capitulation signed with Corn- 
wallis at Yorktown. There is an oil painting of the 
elder Pitt, Lord Chatham, the friend of America; and 
other paintings of distinguished men adorn the walls 
of the old building which has been in service more or 
less since 1635. 

In the center of the town is a circle, instead of a 
'' square." This is true of many towns in Maryland. 
In this circle are the Capitol building, the Court of 
Appeals building and the State Library filled with old 
records of great value. St. Anne's church and the 
Governor's mansion are located near by. The State 
provides its governor with a residence and servants, 
with an automobile, $15,000 for expenses of one kind 
and another, and a $4,500 salary. 

In the beginning, the State started an elegant man- 
sion on a fine plot of ground, but the governor and 
the legislature had a dispute and it was never completed 

387 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

or so used. Subsequentlj^ it was given to St. Johns Col- 
lege, which was founded in 1784. This is a boy 's military 
training school maintained by the State. It has an at- 
tendance of about 200 young men. The United States 
Government re-organized it by furnishing instructors 
from the military army. The location is fine and the 
campus beautiful. It has had students who became 
distinguished in the world. Among them are Reverdy 
Johnson, William Pinkney, and Francis Scott Key, who 
married the daughter of Governor Edward Lloyd of 
Annapolis. 

This city claims the distinction of building the first 
theatre erected in the United States. 

Here occurred the Claiborn rebellion which destroyed 
the Puritan records of the settlements started in this 
State. 

Virginia, although settled by Protestants, persecuted 
the Puritans living there and forced them into Mary- 
land which was controlled by the Catholics. The Cath- 
olics gave them an asylum. This occurred about 1648. 
It was on condition, however, that all those who took 
land had to swear their allegiance to Lord Baltimore. 

This town is decidedly English for it has the Duke 
of Gloucester Street, which was named in honor of the 
seventeenth son of Queen Anne, all her other children 
having died. There are also Prince George Street, Han- 
over Street, King George Street, and so on. 

Annapolis has a fair museum of the relics, minerals 
and wealth of the State. In this museum are many flags 
of historical value in connection with the Civil War. 
The most interesting exhibit is the physical evidence of 
the dispute between the heirs of William Penn and 
Lord Baltimore, over the correct line between Pennsyl- 

388 



ANNAPOLIS, MARYLAND 

vania and Mar3'^land. Penn had a charter from the 
King for Pennsylvania Province, and Lord Baltimore 
had a charter for the Marjdand Province. An English 
commission, consisting of two civil engineers by the 
names of Charles Mason and Jeremiah Dixon, was ap- 
pointed to surve}^ the land and establish the correct line 
between these provinces. They made the survey, and 
every few miles planted a stone with the arms of Penn 
on one side and of Baltimore on the other. Two of 
these stones, called Cro^^^l stones, are in the museum. 
This was the origin of the Mason and Dixon line, the 
true line between Pennsylvania on the north and Mary- 
land on the south. This was the line used to divide 
the Union from the Confederacy. 

Coal, marble, granite, fine clays, iron ore, limestone 
and many varieties of timber are produced in this section. 

William Penn rather got the best of Baltimore, as 
Quakers sometimes do. The engineers gave to Penn, 
not only Pennsylvania, but all of Delaware, according 
to their interpretation of the two grants. This survey 
was made in 1732 and the decrees were signed in 1753 ; 
and thus ended an old dispute which often led to blood- 
shed. The Civil War made it more than historical, made 
it worldwide with the song of ' ' Dixie. ' ' 

The Annapolis Naval School is located here. Under 
late laws it has about 800 students who are being trained 
for naval officers. The course requires four years of 
training. The surroundings and buildings are beauti- 
ful. It rests on the Severn River, which empties into the 
Chesapeake three miles away. Onlj' vessels of small 
draft can come up the river. The academy has all the 
buildings required for such work, including an impos- 
ing chapel with a seating capacity of about 1,200. 

389 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

111 the basement is the crypt containing the remains 
of Admiral John Paul Jones. It is surrounded by beau- 
tiful dark French marble columns, the same as the 
crypt with admiral Hags and the Stars and Stripes 
near by. The spot is held sacred. To appear in the 
circle officers must be in uniform, thus showing the 
greatest respect for their deceased comrade. 

The Episcopal service is observed because of its 
freedom from religious dogma; but students having 
other beliefs are free to go outside and attend services in 
other churches, and many do so. 

The Government has about 100 acres in this en- 
closure. Across the Severn River it has about 300 acres 
which it uses as a rifle range and experimental station. 

About three years ago, man}- of the children became 
sick. Washington was notified, and experts came here. 
Upon investigation, they determined that the cause was 
the milk furnished by the public dairies. The result 
was that many cows were killed and a more rigid city 
inspection was inaugurated. The Government purchased 
a farm of 800 acres a short distance out, and now the 
Government commissary is supplied with pure milk and 
good vegetables. The employees of the Government can 
purchase foods here they know to be good, and need not 
risk the health of themselves or their families. 

Annapolis is poorly paved; the streets are not very 
clean; they are poorly kept and the side-walks are no 
better. Most of the dwellings are old, rusty and unat- 
tractive. The shops and stores are the same. Yet to 
change it might destroy its historical importance. His- 
torical novels can be built here. It was in this place 
that Winston Churchill found material for his "Rich- 
ard Carvel." The field is rich. 

390 



ANNAPOLIS, MARYLAND 

The people are kind, quiet and gracious. They are 
in no hurry. They live under the shadow of a famous 
academy, and they let it give the show and furnish the 
music. If you get a good bed and a good place to dine 
you can live simply and happily. The hotels are poor. 

The- city has a population of about 12,000 people, 
2,000 of whom are colored. Except for the academy, 
the people would have to move. There is no business; 
neither are there any amusements except to go to church 
and be good. When I get real bad I am going to move 
to Annapolis, provided the saloons are exterminated. 
Saloons in a small town are to that town what smallpox 
is to the body. They cover all the territory. There is 
no place to go except around the circle to the other 
side. 

It is the young men who are in danger. Young 
women can be good anywhere, and usually are, if coaxed 
a little. This town can be made a beautiful little spot, a 
real garden of flowers and roses, with quaint, clean, 
smooth streets and walks, and with such nooks and 
corners as to cause one to feel he would like to live al- 
ways. Beauty creates beautiful thoughts; it elevates. 
Dirt and neglect lead to waywardness and to crime. 
Always work for beauty. It is best. 



391 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 



Winchester, Virginia 

THERE are no two States in the Union more beau- 
tiful in woods, water and landscape, in moun- 
tains and scenic valleys, than are Virginia and 
Maryland. West Virginia, once a part of Virginia, 
resembles her two sister States in every respect. In the 
latter is Harpers Ferry, rugged and picturesque, its 
hills and mountains looking down on the historic Poto- 
mac on the one side and the Shenandoah on the other. 
These two rivers with their surroundings, one cannot 
forget. They are here closely associated, and each adds 
to the beauty of the other. 

Only eight miles away is Charles Town, the historic 
spot where John Brown and his associates were tried 
and hung. So great was the demand for relics of this 
tragedy that it is estimated that the numberless pieces 
of rope if put together would encircle the earth, and 
that the small pieces of wood cut from the scaffold 
would cover many acres if placed in trees. Such is the 
weakness of human nature in its desire to be different 
or to have something a neighbor or acquaintance does 
not possess and which the owner can show with pride. 
But ''pride goeth before destruction." 

This is the northern section of the famous Shenan- 
doah Valley, one of the richest valleys in the United 
States. It is about forty miles wide and one hundred 
long, extending almost to North Carolina's northern line. 
Prom Charles Town it is about twenty miles to Win- 
chester, which has possibly 8,000 inhabitants. It is the 
metropolis of the northern section and ranks second in 
size. Staunton in the southern part of the valley has 

392 



WINCHESTER, VIRGINIA 

about 12,000 inhabitants and is first in size. Winchester 
is an attractive town with good hotels, clean streets, 
good side-walks, pure drinking water and prosperous, 
happy people. Many of the stores are small but attrac- 
tive, and the banks are bursting with money belonging 
to the people. 

The men are substantial looking and the women and 
children are well groomed and well cared for in every 
way. The men are proud of their families, the women 
are proud of their men, and all are proud of Virginia 
and Virginians. 

There was a dispute on one occasion as to the State 
line betAveen Virginia and North Carolina. Each State 
agreed on a commission to make a survey and establish 
the true line. One old lady owned a small farm in the 
territory in dispute and she was very much worried for 
she did not know to which State she owed allegiance. 
The survey- made by the commission placed the old lady, 
then in the seventies, in Virginia. When they told her 
she belonged to Virginia she was overjoj^ed and said 
she could now die happy in the thought she would die 
a Virginian and not a North Carolinian. 

This is the spirit here and throughout Virginia. The 
State has a great ancestry. No other State has produced 
such people. They keep a record of the old families 
and these records are sacredly preserved. They keep 
a record of human beings, that is, Virginians, as stock 
breeders do of horses, cattle, hogs and sheep. Each has 
a standard and a standing, and he is put where he be- 
longs. It is based on past accomplishments of individ- 
uals who have come and gone. It is pedigree. Present 
worth or accomplishments do not count. It is like old 
furniture and wine; nothing counts but age and past 

393 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

acliievenieuts. This is how the F. F. V.'s, or the First 
Families of Virginia, arose. This is why they are fall- 
ing behind in the race. They do not realize that their 
ancestors were at war most of the time, first with 
the Indians, then the Spanish, then the French, then 
the English. The Irish are fighting or doing some- 
thing all the time, and the Scotch-Irish are worse. You 
must let them do as they please, or you must fight or 
move awa3\ This valley was settled by the Scotch-Irish 
and in the central parts of the State the Colonial intel- 
lectual giants arose. 

Lord Fairfax owned all this land for miles around. 
George Washington lived here and worked for Fairfax 
four years in the early days. He built Fort Londonne 
and the little stone house at the Fort, where he lived. 
Lord Fairfax died here and was buried under the 
chancel of the old Protestant Episcopal church. And 
the thunderbolt of the American Revolution, General 
Daniel Morgan, lies buried beneath a broken slab in 
Mount Hebron Cemetery. Such was the beginning of 
settlement in this rich, beautiful valley, — struggle and 
hardships and wars of defense for the preservation of 
their all. 

Now the hills are all covered with fat, finely bred 
horses, cattle, sheep, hogs and poultry; and wherever 
one looks, he sees large farm dwellings, barns and out- 
liouses. ''The pikes," hard-surfaced roadways, lead 
everywhere, and the ''country gentleman" is seen on 
all sides. 

During 1916 this locality raised, sold and shipped 
600,000 barrels of apples. Corn, oats, barley, vegetables 
and food products in large quantities and varieties are 
grown here. The orchards are numerous and fine. 

394 



WINCHESTER, VIRGINIA 

With such wealth of soil aud climate, such scenic 
beauties as Nature has so generously bestowed on this 
picturesque valley, and with such citizenship, it seems 
that, after all foreign enemies had been driven away, 
the people could live and die in peace with mankind. 

It is not to be. To build us up to be more perfect 
human beings morally, intellectualh^ and socially, we 
must have storms, lightning, wars and troubles of all 
kinds. 

So the Civil War came and this valley w^as overrun 
with soldiers, who brought with them bullets, shells and 
cannons. Winchester was the center and there were 
hard fought battles all around her. 

There was Cool Springs ten miles away; Fishers' 
Hill on Cedar Creek; Kernstown; Martinsburg; Front 
Ro3^al; and Winchester. And these are not all. Lee 
wanted the rich valley for the foods it produced to sus- 
tain his army, and it was only ninety miles from Wash- 
ington, D. C, his objective point. Here he established 
his headquarters. In 1861 and 1862 the Confederacy 
had many victories to its credit. General Lee marched 
through this city, then north through Hagerstown, on 
his way to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, and Philadelphia ; 
and in June, 1863, he reached Gettysburg. There on 
July 1st, 2d and 3d, 1863, his army met its Waterloo. 
One-third of his soldiers were killed and with the re- 
mainder, wounded and bleeding, he re-crossed the 
Potomac to find refuge in the fertile valley of Shenan- 
doah. And here in 1864 and 1865, Jackson and Long- 
street and Early tried to draw Grant from Richmond, 
which Lee was trying to protect b}^ frequent contests 
around Winchester. These were hard fought and bloody 
battles, and many fell. It was here Sheridan came over 

'^95 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

from Martinsburg and heard of the defeat of his men 
on Cedar Creek, twenty miles away. He dashed on, 
met his men retreating, turned them about and, with a 
dash and a surprise, captured the Confederates and ate 
supper on the battlegrounds where only a few hours 
before his men had been defeated. The battle of Kerns- 
town was fought only one mile out of Winchester. Dur- 
ing the Civil War, the control of this town changed 
hands seventy-three times, and on one occasion five 
times in one day. So you can see the struggle was bitter 
and bloody. First one set of generals would have head- 
quarters here, and then the other side. So they will 
point out to you the headquarters of Lee, then those of 
Jackson, Longstreet and Sheridan, and so on down the 
line on both sides. « 

The bitterness still exists among the old ones who 
participated, but only a few of them are left now. They 
refuse to have their Memorial services on May 30th, but 
have them on June 6th. 

The Confederate dead, about 2,500, are interred in 
the city cemetery at one end by themselves, with a small 
marble headstone marking each grave. However, several 
Southern States which lost men in one or more of the 
battles thereabouts have erected a large monument on 
behalf of the State. It is a well kept cemetery. 

Not far away is the Federal or National Cemetery of 
five acres, surrounded by a stone wall, and containing 
about 5,000 Union dead. Many Northern and New Eng- 
land States have likewise erected State monuments. 
Each soldier has also a marble slab at the head of his 
grave. It is exceptionally well kept and everything is 
in order. 

Such has been the history and life of Winchester 
390 



WINCHESTER, VIRGINIA 

from the beginning until now. It has a cotton and a 
knitting mill, employing about 500 each. It also has a 
pulp mill and smaller industries. 

The people do not expect it to become a large city, 
so they are growing beautiful shade trees along the 
curbs on all the streets; and the}^ are large enough now 
to spread over the side-walks. This adds much in the 
way of attractiveness to the streets and the town. 

Why do not many of our American cities, small, lonely 
and isolated, plant beautiful shade trees along the streets ? 
The inhabitants could thus add much to the residential 
streets of most of our small towns, making them pleasing 
and attractive to visitors and restful and cheerful to 
the inhabitants. The singing birds would no doubt call 
and peep at the people once in a while, and especially in 
the springtime when all life is up and smiling, kissed 
by the sun at midday and fed and watered by the early 
dew of the morning. Cleanliness and beauty purify 
human life, so the money spent in beautifying a town or 
city is a good investment. Stately and shapely shade 
trees are inexpensive and they are messengers of good 
cheer and good will. If you do not build a town in a 
grove, bring the grove into the town. Keep your streets 
well graded, if not paved, and skirted on each side with 
rows of shade trees. Remember that the groves were 
God's first Temples and that if one is surrounded by 
trees, he is forced to think better and nobler thoughts. 
A new and better citizenship and a better town are thus 
created. A good government makes it easy for its people 
to be good. Parks, beautiful rivers or creeks, improved 
property, music and wholesome amusements all help to 
make a happy, prosperous contented people. These 
things lead us to look without and not within, and thus 

397 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

our trials, troubles and cares are temporarily forgotten. 
If we forget theni often and long enough, we soon be- 
come healthy, normal human beings. So Winchester 
had her trees and she was made to suffer much, because 
she was attractive. The town is rich in every way, and 
richest of all in history. 



398 



FREDERICK, MARYLAND 



Frederick, Maryland 

IN THE beginning of civilization in America, the 
English settled Georgia and the Carolinas; the 
Scotch-Irish and the Episcopalians sought out Vir- 
ginia; the Scotch-Irish, English and Catholics settled 
down in Maryland, and were afterwards followed hj 
the Germans. 

Each State, by reason of environments, associations, 
education, social and political conditions and climate, 
has produced distinct types of the Anglo-Saxon race. 
The colored race has had its economic and social in- 
fluences on Georgia and the Carolinas, and especially 
South Carolina. 

Before the influx of New England and Northern 
people into Georgia, each of these localities produced 
such distinct types that it was easy to distinguish the 
nativity of one from the other. 

The Catholics were strong at first, and are strong to- 
day, in Maryland ; and the Church, from the beginning, 
has been wisely managed in that it encouraged the tol- 
eration of other beliefs rather than interference with 
their growth. This has been to the great advantage of 
the State for its energies have been devoted to social, 
intellectual and commercial growth, instead of being 
wasted or distracted by foolish controversies. Much of 
this is due to Cardinal Gibbons, his wise counsellors and 
his predecessors. He has been located in Baltimore for 
all of a generation. 

Maryland is very hilly or mountainous, yet the sturdy 
settlers have overcome all obstacles. The State is now 
rich in resources and the country is like one great 

399 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

garden, producing as abundantly as is possible under 
the circumstances. The farm fences are maintained in 
order, and farm dwellings and outbuildings are neat, 
in good repair and mostly painted. The horses, cattle, 
hogs, poultry and all live stock are in fine condition. 
The land is well cultivated, although the farmers must 
fertilize, more or less, for all kinds of crops. This neat- 
ness and prosperity are the result of the industry, 
economy and energy of the settlers. With the exception 
of Baltimore, the State has no large cities. Cumberland 
is second in size, and Hagerstown, with 20,000 inhabi- 
tants, is third. 

This distribution of the inhabitants, largely in the 
country, makes living a simple problem in this State. 
At this moment, when complaints of the high cosv of 
living are coming from every State, the people of Mary- 
land are getting their foods at reasonable prices. Rents 
are low and the people are happy, contented and pros- 
perous. Because of the topography of the land, the 
drainage in the State and in the cities is fine; and the 
drinking water in most sections is obtained from the 
mountains. This makes Maryland an ideal place to live. 
This is why Marj^land did not join the Confederacy. 
The white inhabitants had been trained to work and did 
work. They work now, and the colored population has 
never grown so large or so fast as to become a serious 
problem as it has in South Carolina. Again, the inter- 
marriage of the pioneer settlers infused the German 
blood with the English and the Scotch-Irish, to the ad- 
vantage of all three races. A Scotch-Irishman is a bad 
proposition. He never forgets or forgives a wrong. He 
says he does or will, but he never does. He fights for 
his rights and fights for his living, and usually is found 

400 



FREDERICK, MARYLAND 

to possess both. The Englishman works for a commis- 
sion on the trade and traffic of a community. The German 
here works hard to produce, to save what he growls, or 
the proceeds thereof; and lie succeeds. He loves to be 
with his family. He wants to be unmolested in his con- 
ception of personal liberty, which is to follow his likes 
and to resent his dislikes within his own circle and among 
his friends. 

The result of this intermixture of blood has been to 
produce a lot of fine-looking people, both men and wo- 
men, in the countrj^ as well as in the cities and towns. 
They are delightful and often charming in their actions 
and conduct towards one another; and they are consid- 
erate, kind and deferential toward strangers. They try 
to be gracious, and are so, in their social and business 
relations. Here you see simple, wholesome democracy 
lived and acted as it should be — a democracy which 
recognizes that ''the other fellow may be better than I 
am at heart." We all have our faults, some of which 
will be forever concealed, unless, on some accidental 
occasion, circumstances should reveal them. 

Hagerstown, like most of the cities in the State, was 
started many years ago. It has very long blocks, with 
no alleys in many instances ; and when alleys occur the}' 
are kept very clean. The streets and side-walks are 
narrow and are kept clean and in good condition. The 
paving is mostly brick. Many fine residences with mod- 
ern architecture are found here; but the older homes 
are of that antique Southern type which when once seen 
you never forget. About twenty per cent of the popula- 
tion is colored. 

The city has no large manufacturing plants, but many 
small ones in commercial lines. There is considerable 

401 
26 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

wealth in the city. This is generally the case when a 
cit}^ is surrounded bj^ prosperous agricultural sections. 
No permanent prosperity can come to any city if the 
country surrounding it is not fertile and prosperous 
and if the land is not intelligently handled. The wealth 
which starts the wheels of commerce and facilitates ex- 
changes in the State centers comes from the land ; and a 
rich, consuming public, in turn, brings prosperity to the 
farmer. Thus the relations between these classes are 
mutual except that the farmer is more independent. 

A trip from Hagerstown to Frederick through the 
countrj'^ is a journey the traveler will never forget. The 
scenic beauty is everj^where, in the woods and the creeks 
of running water, and in the farms in the valleys with 
their good homes and barns and their fat, lazy live stock. 
At Braddock Heights, we find a summering place with 
good hotels and an elevation that affords a good view 
of the famous Harpers Ferry and the Potomac. After 
passing through other attractive trading centers, we 
finally arrive at the historical and beautiful town of 
Frederick, which has a population of about 12,000 people. 
It is purely a residential city and has many fine but 
modest homes. Here, too, w^e find the country, for miles 
around, rich and productive, with prosperous farmers 
living in ease. With these conditions, it is usual to find 
strong financial institutions housed in fine and commod- 
ious quarters ; and they have such institutions here. The 
business houses are not large, but many are attractive 
and most of them are very prosperous. 

Of all the cities I have visited, this is the cleanest 
and neatest. The side-walks are wide and mostly made 
of brick. The streets are not wide, but they are well 
paved and clean. The dwellings are mostly in good 

402 



FREDERICK, MARYLAND 

repair. They are well painted, and smile like a young 
lad.y with a new white dress just departing for church 
on Sunday morning. To attend church in new gowms 
is part of a girl 's religion. And why not ? Without her 
and the church, we would soon disappear. We cannot 
get along without either, so let us continue to have both 
with us so long as we ma.y live. Then we shall have 
more happiness than pain. 

The fronts of residences have small platforms, with 
two or three steps leading to the side-walks. On these 
platforms the mothers and daughters bring the rocking 
chairs and sofa pillows to enjoy the life and activity 
and fresh evening air. The girls are largelj' gowned 
in white. I am told this is the custom, and as you glance 
along, if you are a young man, you will be unable to 
make a selection for so many of them are reall}^ beauti- 
ful. Most of them have strong faces, clear beautiful 
eyes and fine complexions. I asked one bright Scotch- 
Irish woman of seventy-three why this was; and, with 
a merry twinkle in her eye, she said "Ah, it is partly 
because of the cross between the Scotch-Irish and the 
Germans, and partly because of good food and whole- 
some living." 

The children are numerous and, with their rosy, fat 
faces and bright eyes, they are equally as attractive as 
the young women. Frederick is a charming home town, 
and there is good feeling and good fellowship all round. 

Admiral Schley was born here. One old lady told 
me that she knew him well and that as a bo.y he was a 
' ' regular devil. ' ' He would go down the street in winter 
time, after a snow, and pelt the girls with snow-balls. 
She said he was popular with them and they liked him 
just the same. His remains rest in Arlington Cemetery. 

403 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

This was also the home of Francis Scott Key, the 
author of the ''Star Spangled Banner," a song which 
made him famous throughout the world and endeared 
him to the American people. He practiced law here, 
afterwards married a lady of Baltimore, and then moved 
to Baltimore where he practiced his profession up to 
the time of his death. The result of this Union was two 
children. All are now dead. Their remains rest in the 
beautiful Olivet Cemetery at Frederick, Maryland. At 
the entrance to this cemeter}^ is a large, cylindrical gran- 
ite monument mounted by a bronze statue of Key. At 
his feet are these words — "The Star Spangled Banner." 
They are sufficient. In front, at the base, is a female 
bronze statue representing Liberty with two children, 
one on either side. On the opposite side, is a bronze 
tablet whereon are inscribed the words of the "Star 
Spangled Banner." In front and to the right is a flag- 
staff, from which is unfurled to the breezes, throughout 
the year, our beautiful flag. As he stands erect on the 
pedestal, his right arm is raised on a level with his index 
finger pointing to the flag. It is a beautiful and impres- 
sive memorial of the living, to the dead who left an in- 
heritance of honor, loyalty and patriotism to mankind. 
This monument was erected at a cost of $15,000, the city 
and State sharing the expense equally. 

This city became famous through the acts of another 
person— only a woman— Mrs. Barbara Fritchie. She 
was a widow, a German by birth and marriage. Her 
husband manufactured buckskin gloves, and was a kind, 
industrious man. He died in 1849 at the age of 69. His 
widow was his only survivor. She lived a quiet simple 
life and attended the Dutch Reformed Church regularly. 
She was diminutive in size but had noble impulses and 

404 



FREDERICK, MARYLAND 

a generous heart and was loved by all her neighbors. 

During the Civil War this city was largely for the 
Union, and so was Mrs. Fritchie. When fighting be- 
gan, many hung out the Stars and Stripes, that is, 
showed their colors; and the widow was among them. 
One day word came that General Lee's army was ap- 
proaching, under General Jackson, on its way to capture 
the city of Washington. The patriots got cold feet, and 
all of them pulled down and hid their flags, — all except 
this little old widow, now 96 years of age. She took her 
flag, climbed to the attic and nailed it out of the attic 
window. When Jackson and his men arrived in town, 
this emblem, floating in defiance of the Confederates, 
created an episode that is best described by the famous 
poet, John Greenleaf Whittier, in commemoration of 
her heroic act. The poem is familiar to all. 

On her death, in 1862, the citizens set aside a lot at 
the far end of Olivet Cemeter3^ A large granite obelisk 
in the shape of a heart has been erected to her memory 
on this lot. Gravel walks surround it. On the front is 
a bronze tablet with her medallion at the top and the 
Whittier poem underneath. At the right and at the 
corner of the lot, is a flagstaff, and from this is also un- 
furled the Stars and Stripes throughout the year. 

This is a beautiful tribute by the women of Frederick. 
They organized the Barbara Fritchie Society with the 
sole purpose of building this monument and maintain- 
ing the floating flag as evidence of the love and esteem in 
which she was held by her friends and neighbors with 
whom she had lived her life and who knew her well. 

General Lew Wallace, of "Ben Hur" fame, met 
General Jackson at Monocacy, two miles from the city, 
where the battle was fought. General Jackson withdrew 

405 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

after the battle and discontinued his journey to Wash- 
ington at that time. A Union and a Confederate monu- 
ment mark the battleground, but no soldiers are buried 
there. The Union dead were buried at Gettysburg and 
the Confederates in Olivet. 



406 



GETTYSBURG: A DETOUR 



Gettysburg, Pennsylvania 

THE State of Maryland is very rolling in every 
direction and in the western part is traversed 
hy two ranges of mountains, the Allegheny and 
Blue Ridge. West Virginia borders it on the northwest 
followed by Virginia on the southwest. On the north 
is the State of Pennsylvania. The District of Columbia 
lies partly in Maryland and partly in Virginia. 

Richmond, the capital of the Confederacj^, is near 
the center of Virginia. It is 116 miles almost due south 
of Washington, the capital of the United States. There 
is direct railroad connection between the two cities. 

This proximity of two opposing forces, each trying 
to capture the other's stronghold or seat of government, 
naturally caused many battles to be fought within a 
hundred miles of the capital. In fact it was in the 
territory between these two cities that most of the con- 
tests were staged. From 1862 to 1864 the vicinity of 
Richmond was like a field swarming with bees from hos- 
tile hives, there were so many battles. 

The war began with open hostilities in April, 1861. 
On July 21, 1861, the first battle of Manassas or Bull 
Run was fought. The second battle of Bull Run oc- 
curred August 29 and 30, 1862. Bull Run is the name 
of a small creek running south of the town of Manas- 
sas. At that time, Manassas was a village of half a 
dozen houses, but it now has about 1,500 inhabitants. 
This battle occurred about six miles south of the town, 
the engagement taking place largely on what is known 
as the Henry farm, which is still owned by the family. 
A few markers and monuments have been erected, but 

407 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

the soldiers are buried in a cemetery two miles further 
south, at Grobeton, where fighting also occurred. Prop- 
er markers have been placed on the graves of the dead at 
that place. 

The Confederates won both battles. Had Jackson 
known then what he learned afterwards when it was too 
late, he could have captured Washington; for it was 
only forty miles to Washington, and the Government 
was not prepared. 

The Henry's have gathered a few relics of the battle. 
For the privilege of looking over the field they charge 
one dollar, and many visitors come in a year. The farm 
is cultivated and used as a dairj^- farm. It is rolling 
and largeh^ wooded and appears to-day about the same 
as when the battle occurred. 

Here the Confederates met one day, to celebrate 
while attending their reunion at Washington, which 
began on June 4, 1917. The citizens met them with a 
band; refreshments and speakers were provided; and 
the day was spent recalling old battle scenes and army 
experiences. They claimed to have been starved out, 
but not whipped. They had the finest generals in the 
world, but were short of men. The North had poor 
generals but had the men, and this difference deter- 
mined the result of the war. Only one Union veteran 
was present, and he was from Connecticut and had 
established a business in the town. 

They sang ''America" and it was received in silence. 
Then the young ladies sang ''Dixie," and hats went off 
and clapping began. On a banner these words were dis- 
played, "Let us have peace," Grant— "The sublimest 
words in any language," Lee. 

Up to this time, the advantage had been in favor 
of the Confederates; but the South needed money, food 

408 



GETTYSBURG: A DETOUR 

and munitions of war. The young bloods of the South, 
educated to be gentlemen, did not know how to work. 
The Southern women adjusted themselves much quicker 
and better to the new conditions. The colored slave had 
to be told, and he failed to bring results from the farm 
in the way of foods. Harpers Ferry was the key to the 
rich Shenandoah Valley which Lee tried to hold and 
from which the Union generals tried to expel him. 
Many battles were fought in this valley — Cedar Moun- 
tain, Crosskeys, New Market, Strasburg Junction, Cedar 
Creek, Front Royal, Winchester, Ball's Bluff, and finally 
Antietam. This place is one mile from Sharpsburg, ten 
miles north of Harpers Ferry and sixty-six miles from 
Washington. At last, both armies withdrew from the 
valley, each side claiming the victory. 

General Lee then adopted new plans. He started 
north to invade the Northern States and to collect the 
things he needed for his army, his ultimate object being 
to capture Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. He moved on 
Hagerstown, Maryland, with his army. From Frederick, 
Maryland, $100,000 was demanded. A like amount was 
demanded from York, Pennsylvania. Twenty-eight thou- 
sand dollars were paid and a due bill was given for the 
balance, which still remains unpaid. From Gettysburg, 
Pennsylvania, $10,000 was demanded, together with cloth- 
ing, meats and provisions. The town was poor and had 
only about 2,000 people, and the people pleaded poverty. 
While the controversy was going on, scouts informed Lee 
that General Meade, of the Union forces, was trying to 
head him off and he turned about. But instead of head- 
ing him off, Meade came up behind him ; so they met by 
accident. The battle of Gettysburg, one of the greatest 
in historv^ up to that time, was unexpected ; and the two 
sides were at each other without much delay. 

409 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

The land for miles around is very similar to the to- 
pography of Maryland, rolling and hilly. They were 
not more than twenty miles beyond the Mason and Dixon 
line. The struggle lasted three days, July 1st, 2d and 
3d, 1863. The first two days were to the advantage of 
the Confederates, because they had a superior force and 
the advantage of position. Meade was reinforced, and 
on the third day the Union forces were superior in num- 
bers and still had the advantage of position. Lee with- 
drew his forces from the battlefield, and started back 
to Virginia ; and here began the end of the Confederacy. 

It is charged that he had the promise of substantial 
aid from the English government if this invasion of the 
North resulted in one or two decisive victories. There 
are grounds for such a charge. Lee knew, and England 
knew, that defeat meant that this was the beginning of 
the end. 

In the meantime, it had rained hard and the Potomac 
River was high; and Lee had difficulty and delay in 
getting across. Had the Union forces been able to 
follow up Lee 's retreat, his whole army would have fallen 
into Meade's hands, for it is said he did not have two 
rounds of ammunition left to defend himself. 

The number of men engaged was about 150,000. 
Nearly 50,000 of them were killed and wounded on the 
field of battle. The fighting covered twenty-five square 
miles. It occurred on all sides of the little town, and, 
strange as it may seem, only one woman was killed. She 
was a maiden lady about thirty years of age. Her little 
home was built of brick and was a story and a half high. 
There were only two rooms downstairs, the back room 
being the kitchen. In this room she was standing, mix- 
ing dough, and perhaps singing a song to nerve herself 

410 



GETTYSBURG: A DETOUR 

to bear the thought of the awful struggle that was going 
on. Suddenly a stray bullet came through the outer 
door, and on through another door near which she was 
standing. It passed through her body, and thus she 
became the victim of the sad ravages of war. Her little 
home is now^ used as a museum of war relics, her bread 
board being among the rest. 

Here you hear much of Big Round Top, Little 
Round Top, the wheat field, the peach orchard, Gulp's 
Hill, Cemetery Hill, Benner's Hill and Devil's Den, 
where Confederate Sharpshooters did much harm until 
discovered and dislodged. You also hear of Bloody 
Angle where were the Louisiana Tigers, and of Seminary 
Ridge, and the stone wall. These are all spots or points 
that every old soldier, whether Union or Confederate, 
engaged in this contest, remembers with sadness. The 
dying and the dead were so thick and close together 
that one could walk on human bodies from the stone 
wall to the wheat field, a quarter of a mile away. Many 
officers on both sides were killed or wounded. Here is 
w^here General Sickels lost his leg. 

It is charged that General Sickels disobeyed orders 
and worked himself and men out into the open. He w^as 
saved Sickels and changed temporary defeat to victory, 
in a precarious position and was about to be slaugh- 
tered when General Warren took Little Round Top, 

Then it was that General Lee, miscalculating Stuart's 
success, ordered Pickett to charge against Longstreet. 
This resulted disastrously to Pickett, who lost nearly 
3,000 men out of 17,000 in a few minutes. This great 
charge is designated as the high watermark of the Con- 
federacy. It was not successful, and Gettysburg became 
a Union victory. 

411 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

General Meade demonstrated here that he was the 
equal of General Lee, if not his superior. He planned 
and maneuvered with great skill, and with his aids had 
decidedly the best of the situation on the third day, both 
in position and in handling of forces. Lee's head- 
quarters commanded the whole field ; and it is said that 
the failure of Pickett's charge and the slaughtering of 
his brave men caused him to shed tears, for he knew it 
meant his defeat. That night he withdrew his forces in 
retreat. 

The Government has bought thousands of acres, and 
the plan is to control, eventually, the twenty-five square 
miles. The National Cemetery contains seventeen acres. 
On the spot where President Lincoln stood and delivered 
his Gettysburg Address, now recognized as a classic, a 
national monument has been erected. The Government 
has fine driveways everywhere, aggregating thirty-three 
miles in length; and the different States have erected 
beautiful and magnificent memorials to their fallen 
heroes. In every place where an officer fell a monument 
has been erected to his memory. They are placed where- 
ever fighting occurred, for many heroes fell in that 
battle. The grounds and wooded sections are kept as 
they were in 1863. There are no changes, except that 
many monuments have been erected and many road- 
ways have been built, even on Gulp's Hill and Little 
Round Top. A monument to General Warren is there. 

Virginia has just erected the finest and most expen- 
sive of monuments to the memory of General Lee, on 
the spot where he stood with his field glasses looking at 
the contest in the valley below. 

At heart Lee was kind, generous and considerate,— 
every inch a gentleman. The awful carnage must have 

412 



GETTYSBURG: A DETOUR 

impressed and depressed him, and the story of his 
shedding tears is no doubt true. 

Yet, such is war. This nation could not remain 
one-half free and one-half slave. Argument and rea- 
son had failed. Religion was unable to solve the difficul- 
ties, for nearly all these Southern generals were devoted 
church men — praying Christians, with Bibles in their 
pockets, trying to follow the rules and teachings of that 
Book. 

War, alone, could and did solve the problem, and 
made this country stronger and better in every way 
than it was before the contest. It aroused the forces in 
man to new enterprises, greater undertakings and a 
higher plane of thinking. It caused to grow in the 
human breast more love and sympath}^ more patience 
and toleration, more charity and kindness for the down- 
troden and afflicted ; it broadened the thoughts of men 
and women ; it lifted us up and kept us from becoming 
stale. 

War is no doubt one of the instruments used to 
make better men and women by touching the masses, 
the multitudes. It awakens the animal life in human 
nature, energizes the individual units to new and 
greater deeds, socially, spiritually, intellectuall}^ and 
commercially. An active force lives and goes forward. 
A passive force, in time, becomes extinct — atrophies. 
All living and feeling life is energy. The opposite is 
death. The struggle to live predominates in all animal 
and vegetable forms. This struggle is upwards, as it is 
for fullness and completeness of form. 

The South resented, and the struggle lifted it from 
its roots. It takes time for a new growth, and the 
South has just started to develop and expand into great 

413 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

possibilities. It is finding itself, — turning its eyes from 
the past to the unfolding future with all its brightness 
and hope and cheerfulness. So let it toil with the 
.asses, doing justice to the least of its members. 

Wrongs never pa.y dividends. They go on the debit 
side of the ledger. The proper, just rewards to the 
masses for their labor produces wealth. A human body 
well cared for and well housed is a producing unit of 
wealth. If it is intellectually employed and its efforts 
are properly directed, it is an asset and not a liability. 
Idleness, whether of the rich or the poor, like machinery 
not used, is a loss and a burden to the community. 

The South has started the hoys and girls to toil in 
wholesome pursuits, to work intelligently on the lands 
and bring forth products therefrom. This, in time, 
will bring about individual independence, self-reliance 
and one's own ability to do things worth while. 

Thus, prejudice and hate and discouragement are 
fading away, and a new life and a new growth are 
springing forth. This new growth will increase in leaps 
and bounds. It is the aftermath of the Civil War and 
the freedom of the slave. 



414 



BALTIMORE, MARYLAND 



Baltimore, Maryland 

THIS cit}^ has a population of about 600,000 people. 
It possesses both water and rail transportation, 
and is admirably situated on Chesapeake Ba}'. 
These conditions enable it to meet all the competition of 
the commercial world. The State back of it is rich in the 
fertility of its soil. There are large quantities of timber ; 
and coal, iron and copper are produced in paying quan- 
tities. Corn, wheat, tobacco and cotton are the leading 
crops; but oats, barley, rye and hay, in fact ever^^thing 
that good farm land will produce, is grown here. The 
soil must be fertilized, however, in order to bring forth 
profitable returns. Horses, cattle, hogs and sheep are 
raised ; and all the dairy and poultry products are abun- 
dant. 

Being the only large city in the State and having 
such a good location, Baltimore should grow and become 
a dominating factor in the commercial world. 

The city is governed by the old ward system and 
has an upper and a lower house of councilmen from 
the twenty-four different wards. In the lower branch, 
one is chosen by the people from each ward, making 
twenty-four members. The upper branch consists of 
eight members, who are chosen from the people by 
larger districts. The mayor is one of these eiglit. The 
councilmen are elected for four years, and draw a 
salary of $2,000 each per annum. The mayor is paid 
$5,000. This form of government has not proved satis- 
factory, and there is no reason why it should. 

Baltimore is ver}^ old, having been laid out early 
in the eighteenth century and named after Lord Balti- 
more. It was started by the English, and the early 
* 415 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

settlers were Scotch, Irish and English. Now it has a 
large population of Russian and German Jews and of 
Greeks and Italians. There are about 75,000 colored 
people. The Jews own block after block on North Balti- 
more Street, and they are the proprietors of banks, 
stores and shops of all kinds. The Russian Jewish 
Evangelist maj^ be seen standing on a soapbox on the 
street corner at night, urging his people, in his native 
tongue, to reform and enter the service of the Lord. 
The Lord does appeal to races of people in different 
languages, in many forms and by many methods. 

When I left Gettysburg, I took an automobile bus 
for Hanover, Pennsjdvania. When the bus got out 
about four miles, it broke down. The driver explained 
that one of the efficient American mechanics had so ad- 
justed the clutch that it would go beyond its proper 
place and grab more territory than it should, thus 
putting other parts of the machinery out of commis- 
sion. 

We got back to Gettysburg, and then I started for 
York, Pennsylvania, to catch an afternoon train for 
Baltimore. I made it all right, but these country auto- 
mobiles are like many white men,— somewhat uncer- 
tain. 

When I arrived at York, I was tired out; and find- 
ing that the train was an hour late, I sat down in one 
corner of the depot to rest. While I was there, a good 
old Dunkard came over and sat down by me. He was 
large. He wore garments that were homespun, but neat. 
He had a full beard and long hair cut straight across at 
the back; and he wore a broad-brimmed, low-crowned 
black hat. His eyes were gentle and kind. His face was 
benevolent and gentle in expression. His lips wore a 

416 



BALTIMOEE, MARYLAND 

pleasant smile. I engaged liim in conversation and 
found him intelligent and interesting. He regretted 
the world war, and said the world was approaching 
the end. ''No one could tell," he said, ''how long the 
time would be, but the Bible foretold that what is now 
happening should come just before the end. The people 
are extravagant, wasteful and thoughtless, and some 
cruel men have taken advantage of these weaknesses 
and brought about conditions which make life a strug- 
gle." 

Soon others came in and approached my newly-made 
friend with extended hand. He rose and they all clasped 
right hands and embraced each other. Then they kissed 
square on the lips and parted with a smack. Now I 
did not mind this one instance, but when others came 
in and did likewise, it made me nervous. Yet they were 
so sincere in it that I said to myself, what if the whole 
world had this spirit, one toward another ? There would 
be no wars or rumors of wars. The general appearance 
of all was exactly like that of my newly-made acquaint- 
ance. They could not and would not fight, yet all had 
crisp new bills to pay for railroad tickets. When they 
noticed that I was in conversation with one of their 
number each one approached me and greeted me with 
a hand-shake, minus the kiss. 

Many of their women sat in the adjoining room 
wearing shakers and simple dull-colored garments. Nat- 
urally, I was anxious to know how they greeted their 
women. Finally, one came in. She approached each 
man in his seat and extended her hand; and, without 
removing their hats or getting up, they shook her hand. 
She then came to me. She had a beautiful face, sweet 
and gentle. I thought of Lord Chesterfield, and arose 

417 

27 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

and, removing my hat, took her hand. I felt the men 
did not treat her right. She deserved to be and should 
have been kissed. I had to respect her age and her sweet 
gentle smile; but, had she been young, I would have 
asked her for a kiss right then and there even if it 
had resulted in war. For what is more beautiful than 
a kiss from a sweet, gentle, kind woman? I know I 
prefer it to the kiss of the man, and I can never become 
a Dunkard even to gain a crown above. My acquaint- 
ance corrected me, saying, ''We are spoken of as Dunk- 
ards, but among ourselves we speak of one another as 
brother and sister." 

Thus, in many ways the Lord is exalted by His serv- 
ants. It matters not what one's creed nmy be. If he 
is sincere and not a counterfeit, he meets all require- 
ments, I am sure. 

But to return to Baltimore. It owns its water sup- 
ply, but nothing else. The streets are narrow, some 
of them being paved with brick, some with granite flag 
stone and some with asphalt. They are dirty, and many 
of them are out of repair. The street cars and the 
gas and electric light plants are privately owned, and 
the service is good. 

In lieu of all other taxes, the street railway pays the 
city nine per cent of its gross receipts for park pur- 
poses. The result is, Baltimore has one of the finest 
parks in America. It has almost 800 acres covered with 
white oaks, large, stately and as beautiful as photo- 
graphs. The topography of the ground is picturesque. 
Nature made it for a park. The landscaping is natural 
and artistic. The park is kept like a fine lawn. There 
IS music Sunday afternoons and evenings, and thou- 
sands who go to hear it are supplied with seats in 

418 



BALTIMORE, MARYLAND 

abundance everywhere, in nooks and corners and by- 
ways. It is managed by a board of park commissioners, 
three in number, appointed by the governor of the State. 
This park is on the west side, and on the east side, in 
a poorer section, is Patterson Park which is almost as 
large Init not so rich in natural beauty. The city also 
has a number of small neighborhood parks. 

Cities, States and National governments must furnish 
amusement and entertainment for the people if they 
expect to live. Confinement, oppression and the denial 
of simple pleasures lead to anarchy, socialism and de- 
struction. This world was never intended for a prison 
or a place where human beings should be surrounded 
by a desert. Men have their enthusiasms, desires, 
loves, romances and imaginations. To satisfy these 
longings, we have beauty in all its varied forms, above 
us and at our feet. We may touch it, admire it and 
call it our ow^n without money and without price; we 
may love it and appreciate it to our heart's content. So 
the street railway has added Riverside Park, where 
one can throw canes, play with baby dolls, eat candy, 
ride in submarines and coasters, visit caves, see Ben 
Hur races, listen to fine music or witness a light comedy. 
What pleases and entertains one may be tiresome to 
another. Many people have many minds, so one can 
take his choice. 

The State has liquor option, by counties, and this 
city voted to be " wet," by 40,000 majority. The sa- 
loons pay $1,075 per annum, and there are nearly 1,300 
of them. There are no red light districts and no public 
gambling places. 

Thomas Wildej^ started the order of Odd Fellows here, 
in 1818. The members have erected a fine monument 

419 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

to his memory, and they are planning to celebrate its 
founding in 1918. He founded a great order which 
lias resulted in doing much good in the world. 

The city is planning a civic center, having purchased 
all the land to the piers which it has already erected 
of concrete at a cost of about $4,000,000. The Druid 
Theatre, erected in 1797, is to be torn down, and a new 
city hall is to be erected on its site. All the United 
States Government buildings and the county and city 
buildings will be located in this center, which is now 
surrounded by some large and expensive blocks repre- 
senting all lines of business. Baltimore is growing rap- 
idly in every direction. Residences and apartments 
are being built by the block. It is a well built city of 
homes, and is situated on rolling ground. Six and 
seven-room cottages, modern in every way, are renting 
for $18 to $20 a month. Compared with other cities, 
living is low. Carpenters are receiving forty cents an 
hour, brick masons get fifty cents an hour and all other 
laborers relatively the same. This is about twenty 
per cent less than the wages paid in other cities, hence 
the low rents. 

It is an extensive manufacturing city. About twenty- 
five different ship building plants are in operation. 
Schwab has the largest, which is now employing nearly 
7,000 men. Many factories in other lines are located 
here, and they are meeting with success on account of 
favorable economic conditions. 

Baltimore is a great educational and religious cen- 
ter. Johns Hopkins University is located here. Cardi- 
nal Gibbons, head of the Catholic church, makes this 
city his home. Other schools, colleges and social activi- 
ties are centered here, and have a far-reaching influence 

420 



BALTIMORE, MARYLAND 

on American life and its activities. The people are 
active and wide awake for themselves, the city, the 
State and the country. They are loyal and patriotic. 
The Johns Hopkins University and its hospital 
alone have made Baltimore famous. Johns Hop- 
kins was a bachelor engaged in the wholesale grocery 
business at Baltimore for many years. He was a warm 
friend of John W. Garrett, the builder of the Baltimore 
& Ohio Railway. Here is where he made most of his 
money. He was born of Quaker parents May 19, 1795, 
and lived his early days on a farm. He was connected 
with many financial institutions, invested heavily in 
Baltimore real estate and worked for the growth and 
expansion in commerce of his home city. As it grew, 
he grew, and possessing a kind and benevolent spirit, 
he gave his money away freely for the public good. On 
his death, December 24, 1873, then an old man, he set 
aside $6,000,000 for the founding of the great institu- 
tion devoted to easing pains and drying tears of the 
unfortunate and afflicted of mankind. Though dead his 
good deeds and acts of kindness still live to be admin- 
istered to the rich and poor alike. 



421 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 



Lynchburg, Virginia 

THE peanut crop of this State has grown in extent 
until now it brings new wealth to its producers 
of between $5,000,000 and $10,000,000 a year. 
At Suffolk and Petersburg this industry has growTi to 
large proportions and much capital is devoted to hand- 
ling this one product. The soil and the climate are 
peculiarly adapted to this crop which have made these 
two cities the market place for peanuts. 

This citj^ is surrounded by a soil profitable for pro- 
ducing tobacco. For miles in every direction the land 
is used for this one crop and this crop has been very 
profitable for the past few years. 

It might be of interest to the average reader to 
know how tobacco is raised. 

In January or February a planting bed is made, 
about twenty feet square, by burning wood until it 
becomes ash. All the rubbish is then removed and about 
a pint of tobacco seed is sown thereon. It is then dug 
up and turned to cover sufficiently the seed and ashes. 
A cheesecloth is then spread over the space to protect 
the plants against frost. When all danger of frost is 
past, the plants are taken up and planted in ground 
that has been thoroughly pulverized by plowing and 
liarrowing, after which rows about three feet apart are 
made and ridged up. 

In May the tobacco plants are drawn from the plant 
bed and planted in the ground with a wooden peg. One 
boy or girl can thus plant possibly two acres a day. 

As soon as they take root hills are made around 
each plant with a hoe. This is done to avoid having the 

423 



LYNCHBURG, VIRGINIA 

small tender plant covered when cultivation is started 
with a shovel plow. 

When the growth starts, a sucker in the side and 
worms also appear, both of which must be looked after 
and removed, until the plant matures. When ripe it is 
of a 3^ellowish tinge. The yellow leaves are cut first and 
this is called the first cutting. Tobacco is cut with a to- 
bacco knife. After the top is removed the stock is slit 
in two parts to within two or three inches of the ground. 
It is then removed and put on sticks which are removed 
to a barn and hung up in tiers about four feet apart 
and an ordinary barn holds about 500 sticks in which 
position it remains to cure or dry. 

Virginia produces light, while Kentucky produces 
dark tobacco. , Gray soil produces light tobacco and red 
soil dark tobacco. Light tobacco is worth twice as much 
as dark tobacco. 

After all tobacco is a luxury. It is a habit formed 
in youth like the use of intoxicating liquors. It serves 
no purpose and is both a useless and an expensive habit. 
Millions are expended in its use, yet it is neither food 
nor drink. It contributes nothing to the human body, 
either in prolonging or in sustaining life. You could 
starve to death in a tobacco field for the want of food. 
It should go the road of the distilled spirits. The use 
of tobacco is a bad habit cultivated by man alone. All 
other animals reject it and fight against it. And man 
resents it at the beginning until he recovers from his 
first sickness and its use becomes a fixed habit even to 
crave and long for it. Its cultivation should be replaced 
with the production of healthy, wholesome foods. 

This is a hilly city, yet attractive in many ways. It 
has fairly good hotels, a beautiful country surrounds 

423 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

it. It is in Virginia. How could it be otherwise. ''I 
am from Virginia, sir," and that is sufficient. 

The waste tobacco around a factory is worked over 
into very fine particles, not much better than dust. This 
is sold very cheap to the native poor people, both white 
and colored. They use it for chewing purposes. They 
will put it into their mouths and Avork it around their 
teeth, that is, let it rest by soaking it in the saliva. 
Children begin to do this as early as three years of age 
both boys and girls. They call this ' ' chewing the cud. ' ' 
When the habit is once formed it continues throughout 
life. 

The effect of this on children causes them to have 
a whitish-yellowish complexion; a thin, emaciated face 
with a gaunt, staring expression from the eyes. They 
have the appearance of being undersized, undernourished 
and sickly. 

This habit is very extensive with the poor and the 
only remedy against it is universal education teaching 
the evil effects therefrom or the abandonment altogether 
of the raising of tobacco. The latter is more sensible 
for it is utterly worthless for both man and beast. It 
will never reduce the cost of living or take the place 
of the poorest food product that grows. It is injurious, 
wasteful and extravagant for all who are addicted to 
its use. Let it go with alcohol. 



424 



CHARLOTTESVILLE, VIRGINIA 



^'Monticello/' Charlottesville, Virginia 

VIRGINIA was not only the first State to start set- 
tlements, but it was among the first to proclaim 
liberty of thought and action and to foster edu- 
cation. The first settlement was made by Captain John 
Smith on an island in the James River, only a few 
miles northwest of Norfolk. This made a base on that 
river for the white man, and he gradually encroached 
on the hunting ground of the Indian by working him- 
self up that stream as far as he could go. He could 
do this because it was navigable. In turn, the overflow 
of settlers at Jamestown gradually worked itself through 
the passes and gateways of the Blue Ridge and the 
Allegheny mountains to the States in the rich Missis- 
sippi valley; and from this early beginning came the 
great West. 

At the very beginning the raising of tobacco was 
found profitable because the soil and climate of this 
State are well adapted to its growth and because the 
English kings gave grants and charters to their favor- 
ites, some of whom became active in founding settlements 
to produce this newly found wealth. So the growth of 
this State was rapid from the fii:st. The Irish and the 
Scotch, both sturdy and aggressive, came over in large 
numbers. The land along the James River was soon 
dotted with these pioneers, and as they advanced they 
began to spread out. 

Some of the grants of lands from the kings amounted 
to thousands of acres to one individual ; and, as the 
population expanded, further grants were made. The 
famous family of Randolphs was thus favored, and 

425 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

located near Roanoke to the south. Lord Fairfax went 
as far north as Winchester, and Lord Baltimore located 
at Baltimore in Maryland. 

The ancestry of Jefferson, the Monroes and the Madi- 
sons came early. They started from Jamestown, and in 
time moved up stream to the interior; and here we 
find many of their descendants who became famous. 

Charlottesville to-day has possibly not to exceed 
10,000 to 12,000 people, and one-third of these are col- 
ored. Yet at Montpelier, about twenty miles to the 
northeast, was the home of Madison ; and only two miles 
from Jefferson resided Monroe. Each of these, in turn, 
became president of the United States. Madison and 
Monroe owned large tracts of land worked by slaves, 
and were, in truth, what we now call ''country gentle- 
men. " " Pete ' ' Jefferson, the father of Thomas Jefferson, 
was a poor man; but he was honest, industrious and 
phj^sically and mentally strong and aggressive and one 
of the common people. He married into the Randolph 
family, and this connected him with the aristocracy. 
All of these holders of large grants of land were men 
of influence by reason of intellect and wealth ; and from 
them the aristocracy of Virginia came. This aristocracy 
dictated the social, financial and political policies of the 
State. In time, this wealth ruined the descendants of 
many of these old houses. However, some retained and 
perpetuated the virility of their ancestors. 

In Jefferson 's case, the lack of wealth and the strong 
influences of a father and mother of noble impulses 
burned into his youthful mind high ideals; and the 
fixed habits of good emanating from his early home life 
influenced his whole future career. He was frequently 
thrown into the society of men who drank, dissipated, 

426 



CHARLOTTESVILLE, VIRGINIA 

gambled and loved all the sports ; but his early training 
withstood all these influences. 

He was the third child in a family of ten children, 
— a great, big redheaded, grey-eyed boy, six feet and 
two inches tall; yet he afterwards grew to be a hand- 
some man, both physically and mentally. By correct 
living, his body developed with his mind and became 
strong and graceful. He was persuasive and pointed in 
his arguments and conversations and with his pen; but 
he was no orator and he refrained from efforts in that 
line. 

His father selected law for his future career, and 
employed a private tutor on his general education. He 
became a linguist, being able to speak and read several 
languages, including Greek and Latin. He also under- 
stood mathematics and the sciences. In other words, 
his foundation for future intellectual achievement was 
well planned. 

His father died when he was fourteen years of age 
and upon young Thomas fell the burden of taking his 
father's place. From that time on, his troubles were 
many and his experiences sad. In a few years his mother 
passed away. Then the husband of his sister Jane died, 
leaving her with six children and poor. Added to all 
these troubles was his hard work in matters of State; 
but he proceeded, assumed all the burdens cheerfully 
and discharged his duties to the best of his ability. 
Few men would have had the courage to do as he did. 
Late in life, he married and became the father of two 
daughters. His wife became an invalid and i)assed 
away. At her death, he promised his wife to get no 
new mother for his young daughters; and he kept his 
promise. 

427 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

During this period, he was admitted to practice law 
and for the time he was so engaged he had a practice 
which brought him from $3,000 to $4,000 a year. This 
enabled him to increase his father's little estate of 
400 acres in the Piedmont District, and to take in Jef- 
ferson mountain. This enlarged his holdings to over 
5,000 acres; and upon Jefferson mountain he built his 
three-story brick residence and basement, and called 
it ''Monticello." 

The residence is imposing. It is built on the top 
of a single mountain which is in the midst of a valley 
called the Piedmont District. Just beyond the valley, 
and completely surrounding it, is a rim of mountains. 
This gave him command of scenery, which for grandeur 
and beauty is unsurpassed anywhere in America. For 
miles, his view was unobstructed in every direction. 
Nature in all its glory and beauty was his. Surrounded 
by woods and singing birds and growing fields, it is 
no wonder he thought great thoughts and suggested and 
accomplished great things. The misfortunes which he 
had suffered from his boyhood days made him feel for 
another's woes, and gave him a desire to embrace all 
mankind as brethren — to be humble and simple in con- 
duct and dress, sympathetic and gentle towards all. He 
was a living example of pure democracy. With his 
early teaching and his life and environments, he could 
not have been otherwise. His sister Jane was fond of 
music, and he played the violin; and together their 
souls mingled with the spirits above, causing darkness 
and gloom to fade into sunshine and flowers. Each 
helped the other to bear all burdens. 

He had so many slaves that he did not know the 
number he owned. He was kind and good to them. At 

428 



CHARLOTTESVILLE, VIRGINIA 

heart, he was opposed to slavery; and he tolerated it 
as an institution defended by many who supported 
him in his efforts elsewhere. The dwelling place of 
his slaves was connected with his own by an underground 
passage running to the kitchen. His bedroom was con- 
nected by an underground passage, and through this 
it w^as said he made his escape when the British ap- 
peared at his residence to make him a prisoner. His 
house contained nearly thirty rooms. Big iron gates 
are at the entrance to the grounds. Here a slave, in a 
small brick house, guarded the gate. If a caller came 
and was admitted, a large bell on a post nearby was 
rung to notify the residence that a caller was ap- 
proaching. The present owner still observes that cus- 
tom. On the lawn at the back of the house is a small 
one-story and basement brick building which he used 
as his office. Half way from the gate to the house, about 
one-third of an acre is enclosed by a high iron fence; 
and in this enclosure are the tombs of Jefferson and 
many of his relatives. He WTote his own inscription on 
his tomb. It is as follows : 

"Here was buried Thomas Jefferson, au- 
thor of the Declaration of American Inde- 
pendence, of the Statute of Virginia for 
religious freedom, and father of the Uni- 
versity of Virginia." 

Born April 2, 1743 0. S. 
Died July 4, 1826. 

He refused to mention his incumbency of the office of 
President of the United States saying, ''Other men can 
become President of the United States, but no man can be 
nw successor in the performance of these three things." 

429 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

He labored hard for the University, and succeeded 
in 1819. It is one of the oldest institutions of its 
kind in the United States. In 1803, he started Central 
College which developed into the University. His object 
was to train men for useful lives, women not being 
admitted. It is located here and has an attendance of 
about 1,000 students a year. 

Jefferson died a bankrupt. His estate was reduced, 
from time to time, to about 1,000 acres; and after his 
death, the remaining portion was sold at public auction. 
The man who purchased it for $15,000 was unable to 
meet his payments, and about eighty years ago it fell 
into the hands of Commodore Levy, a friend of Jef- 
ferson and Monroe. It has remained in the Levy family 
ever since, and is now owned by ex-Congressman Jef- 
ferson Monroe Levy of New York City. 

He remodeled the house and refurnished it. Not 
much of the Jefferson furniture exists to-day. Mr. Levy 
lived there for a while. He became a candidate for 
Congress, but failed. He then moved to New York City 
where he succeeded in being elected. The property is 
worth about thirty dollars an acre, aside from the senti- 
ment connected with it as the home of Thomas Jefferson. 

Because of his generosity to his supposed friends, 
Jefferson became hard pressed and poor in his old age. 
On his retirement, admiring individuals traveled far 
and near to visit him. Some would remain weeks at a 
time. On one occasion, a Frenchman came, bringing his 
family and the family servants ; and they all became the 
guests of Jefferson for a period of six months. This 
showed him to be a man who was kind and generous 
to the extreme. In fact, he was imposed upon. They 
were eating him out of house and home. 

430 



CHARLOTTESVILLE, VIRGINIA 

One of his sayings towards the close of his life, in 
connection with his work for the University, is, ''I am 
closing the last scene of my life by fashioning and foster- 
ing an establishment for the instruction of those who 
come after us. I hope that its influence on their virtue, 
freedom, fame and happiness will be salutary and per- 
manent. ' ' 

His home is three miles from the town and up a 
mountain road; it is now ninety-one years since his 
death, yet 20,000 people visit the spot annually. This 
is a remarkable tribute to the man's memory and to 
the noble deeds he performed for his own people. They 
loved and trusted him then, and they love and revere 
him now, for his honest}^, ability and unselfish labors 
for the happiness and good of all. His words of wisdom 
will be repeated and followed throughout time, so long 
as governments exist. And this is Charlottesville with 
the tomb of Jefferson at ' ' Monticello ' ' three miles away. 



431 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 



Lexington, Virginia 

IF you are giving the history of a people living in 
a land having the four seasons, it is easy to deter- 
mine the fertility and character of the soil and the 
climate. The soil and climate do materially affect and 
influence the mental, moral and social progress of the 
people; and when you have possession of the facts re- 
garding their progress in these elements together with 
a knowledge of their commercial advancement, you can 
quite accurately determine their comparative progress 
in the human race, for human progress and these ma- 
terial things are relative. 

In low marsh}^ territory, incapable of proper drain- 
age, you have malaria. In low land, under a burning 
sun, with excessive humidity in the atmosphere, you have 
a low standard of animal life. In both cases, you have 
men undersized in every way, mentally and physically. 
These conditions affect all animal life, and it is a waste 
of time and money to try to overcome the laws of nature 
under these circumstances. 

These conditions may not be noticeable in one gener- 
ation or even in two generations; yet, without an influx 
of new blood and energy from time to time, the orig- 
inal settlements will terminate in the same way, as God 
planned other forms of life to inhabit such localities 
and these conditions are essential to their growth and 
prosperity, whether it be animal life of a lower order, 
insect life or certain kinds of vegetable life. 

So we have frigid, temperate, sub-tropical and tropi- 
cal zones. In each of these zones there are living ani- 
mals, insects and vegetable life, in the fullness and 

432 



LEXINGTON, VIRGINIA 

completeness of their time. How long would the polar 
bear last in the torrid zone? How long would the or- 
ange tree live in the frigid zone? All these things teach 
us our i)lace in nature. It is our place to make a study 
of all these far-reaching influences and to locate our- 
selves where we can make the most of our capacities and 
opportunities. Obedience to the command, '^Know thy- 
self," is the greatest duty of mankind. 

Many of the Southern States bordering on the 
Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico are without 
elevation for a great distance inland. Those who have 
resided along such shores for generations have been 
unable to overcome these depressing and retarding ele- 
ments and have shown but little progress. 

But as you leave the shore line and advance north- 
ward and westward to the Blue Ridge and Allegheny 
mountains, you see unfolding before your eyes intel- 
lectual and commercial progress in all lines. Among 
the mountaineers and those residing on the upland near 
the mountains, you discover virility and progress of 
both man and beast; and where men have been sur- 
rounded with the warm influences of moral and religious 
teachings and intellectual training, thej^ have shown 
their bravery and courage in all the walks of life. The 
mountaineers are strong in body and mind; they are 
the crude iron ore of nature, unfinished and unpolished 
by the generous hand of man, their brother. 

So when we come to Maryland and Virginia, deco- 
rated with mountains and ranges and waves and peaks, 
we find Thomas Jefferson on Jefferson Peak, in " Monti- 
cello." By going onh' a few steps from his stately 
mansion, he could look far and near, for miles and miles, 
beyond and above, on all the beautiful things God had 

433 
28 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

made to be utilized, cherished and loved, not by man 
alone, but by all His created things. To Jefferson, it 
gave flights of imagination far above things affecting 
the human race alone. Surrounded with pure bracing 
air, and well supplied with pure crystal water to quench 
his thirst and wholesome food from the valley below, he 
lived all alone with his trained mind, his good books 
and his spiritual adviser above. It became easy for 
him to do things worth while. 

From here you can see the University of Virginia, 
with its rectangular campus of buildings, unique and 
attractive in every way. It is surrounded by 1,500 
acres of rolling land. This institution was founded 
through the untiring efforts of Thomas Jefferson, and 
has been maintained by the State since 1819. Thus 
early did Virginia begin to look after the young men by 
the i^ower and influence of the State. It was a debt of 
gratitude and love which the great Jefferson was trying 
to pay to the past generation by perpetuating to future 
generations the blessings bestowed upon him in his 
youthful career. Edgar Allan Poe, who was born Jan- 
uary 19, 1809, and who was poor and homeless, came 
to this institution to drink of its water. He remained 
just ten months and one day, leaving, possibly, because 
of poverty. But he had acquired the inspiration to sing 
beautiful songs, and with the passing of time these 
songs have brought to his bier multitudes who sing his 
praises. A tablet marks the room. No. 13, wherein he 
worked late at night until his candle had consumed all 
the wick and there was '^ darkness there and nothing 
more." Since that time, many men have come to this 
great university and gone; and almost all have per- 
formed better deeds on account of having been there. 

434 



LEXINGTON, VIRGINIA 

Thus the spirit of Jefferson grows and expands with 
time, for the good of all. 

From here we go to Staunton, Virginia, a hustling 
town of possibly 12,000 inhabitants. It is a clean, con- 
densed and attractive city. It has some good stores, 
and its people are active and alert. This spirit is found 
everywhere in Maryland and Virginia because of the 
soil and the climate. The mountain air is invigorat- 
ing and bracing, and it is free from dust, germs and 
insects to depress and undermine the health of the 
people. As we journey up on Cotton Street, we notice 
a tablet fastened to a two-story dwelling house and 
we read : ' ' Here was born Woodrow Wilson. ' ' This is 
only forty miles from Charlottesville, Virginia. The 
father of Woodrow Wilson was the preacher in the 
First Presb.yterian Church, and this was the manse. 
It is well located on a hill overlooking the city and the 
country beyond. The President need not be ashamed 
of the house or the city in which he first opened his 
eyes to the world. 

From here we went to Lexington, Virginia, fifty 
miles away, just ninety miles from Monticello. It is 
a college town of possibly 4,000 inhabitants. There is 
nothing much to do but live off of the students, yet 
the country is well worked and the land is capable of 
being farmed and is very productive. Here is located 
the Washington and Lee University and the Virginia 
Military Institute, each having capacity to handle 
about 500 students, and each having about tliat many 
in attendance. The latter is a State institution and 
was founded in 1839. It gives young men a general 
education, together with military training. It is doing 
good work, and with our foreign war it has lately come 

435 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

into prominence as a training camp for the Federal 
army. Several hundred additional men are now cen- 
tered on its campus which consists of about 160 acres. 

The Washington and Lee University is unique in 
historj^, in that it is now endowed for about $3,000,000 
and has no debts. The State of Virginia engaged George 
Washington to take charge of the military operations 
of the State and to protect its people from the Indians. 
He did his work so well that the people of the State 
felt under obligations to him and voted him $50,000 for 
his services. He did not want to take it ; but he did take 
it, and he founded an Educational Institution for young 
men and called it Liberty Hall. To this institution 
he turned over the entire $50,000. The institution grew 
slowly. It made friends who contributed to its support, 
and became an educational force in the State. Misfor- 
tunes overtook it, however, and in 1818 some of its 
buildings burned. It was reorganized and rebuilt 
nearer the town on a beautiful campus of 120 acres. 
The new buildings were more substantial, and its name 
was changed to Washington College. Its loyal friends, 
with new zeal, and new energy, stood by the institution 
in its misfortunes, and in time advanced it beyond 
where it was before. 

Then the Civil War came, and the young and the 
old were forced into the Southern cause, boys going into 
the ranks as young as fourteen. This was hard on all 
educational institutions, both North and South. Wash- 
ington College struggled along until after the close of 
the war, when the rebuilding of the South in every 
way was the dominant problem of the country. 

The trustees of Washington College conceived a 
happy thought. It was to elect General Robert E. Lee 

436 



LEXINGTON, VIRGINIA 

President of the institution. The board changed the 
name to Washington and Lee Universit}^ by which name 
it has been known since. 

Its support previously had been largely from the 
South. General Lee was popular with the South and 
he also had many admirers in the North and in New 
England who regarded him highly on account of the 
integrity, intellectual capacity and real worth of the 
man. On his assumption of the administration of its 
affairs the university began to have a phenomenal growth 
in every way. 

General Lee was poor in worldly goods, but rich in 
those traits of character that appeal to the masses. He 
worked hard and faithfully to build up the institution. 
Being a very religious man, he was anxious to build 
up the town of Lexington to a higher standard of liv- 
ing. He was anxious that the young men be sur- 
rounded by good home influences, and he personally 
called on the people and begged them to take the j^oung 
men to room and board. This was a good deal for a 
Virginian to do, however badly he needed the money. 
In those days it required a formal introduction to break 
the ice of a " blue blood," and to take roomers and 
boarders was a scandal; but they would do anything 
for General Lee, and so they yielded. In these latter 
days only a few in Virginia are foolish. The great ma- 
jority are hospitable and kind. In fact, they will stop 
business and sit down and have a visit. In these days, 
one meets many charming people who are Virginians 
through and through. They make one feel as though 
he would like to see more of them. 

General Lee lived only a few years. On his death, 
his son succeeded him. After his death the Chapel he 

437 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

erected became sacred property. The auditormm is 
used for important occasions in connection with the 
Universit.y. A memorial church was built to his memory 
at the entrance to the campus. It is Episcopalian in 
belief. 

On the walls in the chapel are oil paintings of dis- 
tinguished men who have been loyal friends to the institu- 
tion. In the basement is a room which General Lee 
used while president. They keep it just as he left it 
the night before, with tables, chairs, books, papers, 
memoranda and letters unanswered. In fact, should he 
return he would find nothing disturbed since he left. 

The honor system prevails here. Nothing is locked 
except Lee's vault. Buildings, including the library, 
are open day and night. Nothing is disturbed. Stu- 
dents are on their honor. They are regarded and 
treated as gentlemen, and in Virginia ''he is a gentle- 
man, sir." I forgot to ask if this applied to money 
also. You know it is best to have exceptions to all rules, 
even "among gentlemen." 

They also built a mausoleum for General Lee and 
his family at the back of the chapel. It has twenty- 
eight crj^pts, eight being now occupied. Near the vault 
is an Italian statue of Lee by Valentine of Richmond. 
It is a finely executed piece of work. 

Lee had five children, three girls and two boys. All 
are dead except one maiden daughter, who lives in 
New York City. 



438 



HARPERS FERRY, WEST VIRGINIA 



Harpers Ferry, West Virginia 

EARLY in the seventeenth century, an Englishman 
named Harpers, young and full of spirit, came 
to America ; and while here he learned, through 
some source, of the richness and wonderful scenic beauty 
around the Potomac and Shenandoah rivers at their junc- 
tion in what was then the State of Virginia. To this 
place, the venturesome youth emigrated, and he was so 
impressed with it that he concluded to locate there. He 
thought that, in addition to their scenery, the Blue 
Ridge mountains might be rich with minerals. 

Lord North, of England, claimed the title; and 
from him this young man purchased what he wanted 
and at once began to improve it. Others located near 
by, and in time Harpers felt that the community needed 
a ferry across the Shenandoah, so he built and operated 
one. The town was laid out and was thus named Har- 
pers Ferry, and so it remained ever afterwards. 

Its growth was slow and even now it does not con- 
tain over 2,500 inhabitants. But more history is con- 
nected with its location and name than with any other 
hamlet of the United States, though manj^ times its 
size. 

It is very hilly, the streets in some instances being 
hewn out of rock. Often one residence is erected above 
another on the hill or the mountain side. This makes 
the place interesting and attractive. Two swift rivers, 
one at the foot on either side, roll by over rocky beds; 
and when they are low the water forms into folds and 
ripples, varied and picturesque, creating in human na- 
ture a desire to pause and sit on the banks for hours 

439 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

at a time and watch the watei" dance as if in a hurry 
to finish the work allotted to it. 

It is said that George Washington admired the loca- 
tion as well adapted for defense, and when he became 
President it was so chosen and developed. Small arms 
were manufactured here and stored for emergencies in 
buildings afterwards erected for that purpose. 

In 1859, the Government had about 20,000 rifles, 
powder, shells and other munitions stored in the ar- 
senal. A few guards were kept here, in addition to 
the workmen, who were expected to be able to protect 
the Government property temporarily until additional 
help could arrive. It is only fifty miles from Wash- 
ington, D. C, and even then the Baltimore and Ohio 
Railroad passed through the place and extended to 
Washington. 

But in getting into the place, it had to tunnel 
through the Blue Ridge mountains on the Maryland side 
of the Potomac and cross this stream over a bridge 
before it was able to enter into Harpers Ferry. The 
tunnel and bridge were guarded, as well as the machine 
shops and property of the Government. 

In the Fall of 1859 a body of men, about twenty-five 
in number, arrived at Sandy Hook on the Maryland 
side and about a mile east of Harpers Ferry. The leader, 
going by the name of Smith, claimed they were inspect- 
ing the mountains with a view of finding some rich min- 
erals deposited therein. As the people entertained the 
same belief nothing was thought of it, especially as Mr. 
Smith was very devout. 

About ten o'clock at night on October 16, 1859, Mr. 
Smith (who was none other than John Brown of Ossa- 
wottamie, Kansas), and his followers left Sandy Hook 

440 



HARPERS FERRY, WEST VIRGINIA 

for Harpers Ferry ; and as they marched along they ar- 
rested the guards and took them as prisoners, including 
the watchmen at the Government buildings. These build- 
ings were enclosed, and behind this enclosure John 
Brown and his followers and prisoners settled down 
for the balance of the night and prepared for business. 

When the Government officers started for work the 
next morning, they were astonished to learn what had 
happened the previous night. They immediately noti- 
fied the workmen and the Government at Washington 
and began organizing to oust the strangers in possession, 
for they had no idea who they were. Brown had cut 
the telegraph wires and had held up a train on the 
Baltimore and Ohio Railway. 

The citizens joined, all armed that could find arms, 
and the battle began. But the early risers had been ar- 
rested by Brown when they appeared on the street 
and placed behind the stockade as hostages and for the 
protection of himself and his band in case of an on- 
slaught by the Government and citizens. Shooting be- 
gan early. As soon as possible, Colonel Lee, afterwards 
General Robert E. Lee, came from Richmond with some 
marines given him as he came through Washington. He 
appeared on the scene and gave battle. By escape and 
by death. Brown 's band was reduced to nine ; and they, 
with his prisoners, took shelter in the engine house, a 
small, one-story brick building, sixteen by twenty feet. 
Here they held out for nearly three days. Brown him- 
self being wounded and his two sons killed. The ma- 
chine house received the name of Brown's Fort and 
was taken to Chicago during the World's Fair and put 
on exhibition. In the end, all were caught, taken to 
Charles Town, Virginia, indicted, tried and hung. 

441 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

Charles Town is the county seat of Jefferson county 
in which Harpers Perry is situated. It was laid out 
by Charles Washington, a brother of George Washing- 
ton. It is a town of about 3,000. People carry their 
heads high, not because John Brown and his followers 
were tried and hung there, but because a Washington 
is connected with the place. They are aristocratic and 
vain, and no doubt, in time, will all claim blood relation- 
ship with the Washingtons. This is often one of the many 
weaknesses of human beings. This event was the be- 
ginning of the history of Harpers Ferry, and the start- 
ing of the Civil War which resulted in freeing millions 
of colored people held in bondage. This was the lighted 
match that exploded the magazine, with a shock like 
an earthquake, and forced action. 

In 1860, Lincoln was chosen President of the United 
States ; in April, 1861, Fort Sumter was attacked by the 
Confederates, and the war was on ; Harpers Ferry, with 
its munition plant, was the object of attack by the Con- 
federates who desired its rich booty, but the Federals 
destroyed the property by fire. With the assistance of 
some natives, the machinery was saved, removed to 
North Carolina and used throughout the war. 

The Confederates were afterwards driven out, then 
the Federals; and back and forth this went until the 
close of the war. The Confederates wanted it as a base 
to control the rich valley of Shenandoah for its foods. 
The Federals tried to prevent this. So battles were 
fought all around, and in some instances they were very 
close. Antietam is only eight miles away, in Maryland; 
and the battle of Monocacy occurred near Frederick in 
the same State. The battle of Boliver Heights took 
place two miles away. In this battle General Miles 

442 



HARPERS FERRY, WEST VIRGINIA 

surrendered to Jackson his 14,000 men. Then Jackson 
made haste to join General Lee at Antietam. General 
Lee spent much time around Frederick, Maryland, which 
is only twenty miles from Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. 
He was desperate for food and money, amd he had his 
eyes on Philadelphia and Pittsburgh where he expected 
to find both. 

Thus Harpers Ferr}^ was in the war at the begin- 
ning and remained in to the finish. It suffered much. 
Many people lost their lives, some through neighbor 
spies, who often played on both sides. You find such 
people in all localities, trying to injure the person they 
do not like. Often good people suffer much and are 
the victims of evil chances and evil tongues. 

These historical things have made this place a tour- 
ist point. The Government has disposed of all its prop- 
erty. The ferry has been replaced by a bridge. It 
has good hotel accommodations. Boliver Heights are 
dotted with summer homes, many of them owned by 
Washington people. The nights are fairly cool, even 
if the days, occasionally, are a little warm. The people 
are kind, considerate, gentle and reasonable in their 
charges; and they are anxious to please and entertain. 
Usually, those who have lost and suffered much are in- 
clined to look and listen and show a better disposition 
toward the faults of others. 

When Virginia withdrew from the Union, the peo- 
ple now composing West Virginia seceded from Vir- 
ginia and organized a separate State. In 1863 they ap- 
plied to Congress to be admitted into the Union, and 
Congress, by proper action, gave West Virginia such 
standing among the sister States. 

443 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

So the acts of John Brown brought to an early con- 
clusion many things affecting the people and future pol- 
icies of the United States. Many people of influence 
place him on a pedestal with "Washington and Lincoln 
in importance and in the magnitude of work accom- 
plished on behalf of mankind. * 

Within twelve years from the time of his troubles 
at Harpers Ferry and within one mile of his famous 
'" Fort," a philanthropist by the name of Storer 
founded Storer College and gave it large tracts of land. 
This college was to educate ex-slaves and their descend- 
ants. Several buildings have been erected, and the 
school is doing much good. Its attendance is about 200. 

Miss Kate Field, a writer of note in her day, was a 
great admirer of John Brown and of his efforts, his mo- 
tives and his sacrifices to free and uplift millions of an- 
other race held in bondage. She got control of the John 
Brown Fort at the close of the World 's Fair at Chicago, 
and had it returned to Harpers Ferry and erected on the 
campus of Storers College where it now stands as it orig- 
inally appeared. She had other purposes and plans to 
honor the name and deeds of John Brown, but she died 
before she was able to execute them. 

There is no doubt that although his body, with his 
comrades, rests at Elba, New York, John Brown will, in 
spirit, rest at this place, and that as the years go by he 
will grow in the estimation of humanity as one of the 
characters of history who did great good and accom- 
plished much in the fifty-nine years he was permitted to 
live with and among his fellowmen. 

When he was being removed at Charles Town from 
the jail to the scaffold to be executed he was placed in 
a conveyance, and as he looked around and above, with 

444 



HARPERS FERRY, WEST VIRGINIA 

a gentle smile on his lips, he remarked, ''This is a beau- 
tiful day, I never realized before that Virginia was so 
beautiful. ' ' 

And the day was beautiful, clear and calm, with a 
gentle breeze, and in this manner and under these cir- 
cumstances he passed from earth to Heaven, this man 
with a mind and a soul at rest. 



445 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 



White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia 

ON leaving Lexington, Virginia, the best trip is by 
automobile over the mountains to the Natural 
Bridge. This bridge is fifteen miles from Lexing- 
ton and spans a small stream called Cedar Creek, which 
empties into James River. The bridge is located in Vir- 
ginia, and is one of the world wonders. It is a part of 
the Lincoln Highway. Its composition is blue limestone. 
It has two bases, one on each side of the stream, which 
gradually ascend to a height of 215 feet, and then meet 
over the creek in the form of a perfect arch. The thick- 
ness of the arch is sixty-five feet. The width of the 
span is ninety feet, and its length is 100 feet. This 
makes the under part of the span 150 feet above the 
water. Along the side of the creek under the bridge 
there is a path which enables you to see this wonderful 
piece of nature from every angle. 

How and when was it made ? No doubt it was formed 
many thousands of years ago. When the upheaval of 
the mountains took place, rivers and streams and creeks 
were formed to carry off the water that was to fall from 
above on the land and the crops for the preservation 
of all life. In the wrenching and surging of the rock, 
large fissures were formed through which, for ages, the 
water flowed, and year after year, these fissures were 
cut deeper and deeper until it became as we see it now; 
and this is just as it was on the advent of man. The con- 
vulsions of the earth in the creation made all our 
mountains, valleys, rivers, our objects of wonder, and 
beautiful scenery, to be used for the benefit of all life. 

These elevations increased, in large proportions, the 

446 



WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, WEST VIRGINIA 

earth's surface; and herein you see displayed the econ- 
omy of nature, for the mountains are covered with 
woods of all kinds, the supply being so great that, with 
conservation and the natural growth, there is sufficient 
timber to last man for all his wants to the end of time. 
And underneath, hidden from view and out of the 
way, are great resources in the form of minerals and 
precious metals of all kinds to be brought forth for the 
use, comforts and necessities of man. Then, in the val- 
leys, unobstructed, there is the soil to be tilled for the 
production of foods necessary to sustain all forms of 
life. Thus do the mountains and the valleys perform 
their parts in the beautif3dng of the world and the sus- 
taining of all life thereon. 

Nature, in the execution of its laws and the consum- 
mation of its plans, works by co-ordination in all its 
channels and forces, without waste, destruction, injury 
or loss of energy. In his efforts to do things worth 
while, man would do well to study nature and to obey 
the command "Know thyself." His road of travel 
would have fewer obstructions and it would be much 
easier to fulfill his mission and accomplish his under- 
takings. 

In my school days a reader contained a thrilling story 
of a lad in his teens und.ertaking to climb to the top of 
this bridge by cutting hand holds and thus ascending 
to the summit. In the Colonial period, it was the de- 
sire of many people to climb to the top and carve their 
names in the hard blue limestone, thus making a 
record of their accomplishments. Names were thick 
upon the wall, George Washington's being the highest 
of all, about fifty feet from the base. How George got 
his name there, no one ever knew. No one saw him 

447 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

climb up, but it was in the stone all right, and George 
"never told a lie." This boy wanted to go above him. 
He began early in the morning and struggled all dhy. 
To return meant death. He was compelled to go on. 
The top curved, and over this he could never go. When 
he was near the beginning of the curve the people came 
to his rescue, lowered a rope and brought him to the 
top, thus saving him from death. His fingers were worn 
and bleeding and his knife was almost worn off. Thus 
he passed the thousands of names below him carved by 
his ambitious rivals. 

This story so impressed my j^outhful mind that I 
wanted to visit and see the bridge. So I came here and 
am satisfied. 

I made inquiries of the old residents in an effort 
to find out about that boy; but no one could tell me 
where he was. They said, however, that the story was 
a true one. He was a venturesome country lad possess- 
ing the true American spirit — determined to be second 
to none. He wanted his name high and above Washing- 
ton's. Similar ambition exists to-da}^ When exerted 
to good purpose it is all right. This boy exemplified the 
spirit of keeping up with the ' ' Joneses, ' ' and his efforts 
would have ended the same had it not been for the 
timely assistance of his friends and neighbors. 

They told me he grew up to maturity and left, and 
that they lost all trace of him. No one knew what be- 
came of him or anj^thing about his future life, whether 
it was a success or a failure. 

The land surrounding the bridge consisting of 1,660 
acres is owned bj' Mr. and Mrs. J. W. Munday. Mrs. 
Munday inherited it from her father. She built a hotel 
near by and charges one dollar for each person entering 

448 



WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, WEST VIRGINIA 

her premises to go under the bridge; and this ainoiuit 
must be paid. About 20,000 people visit the place every 
year. Other freaks of nature are located on the prem- 
ises. There is a sulphur cave which was worked during' 
the revolution ; and there is also a flowing- subterranean 
river Avhich can be heard very distinctly. 

The climate is warm during the day, but the nights 
and mornings are cool. The pure fresh air makes the 
mornijigs and nights delightful. 

From here we go to Covington, Virginia, where we 
change cars and go twenty-five miles up the mountains 
to the Virginia Hot Springs. This is now owned by some 
New York Cit.y Jews, having been sold to them by the 
Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad. The water is so hot one 
can hardly bear to hold his hand in it. A short distance 
away, another spring brings forth fine, cold drinking 
water. These things are strange and hard to under- 
stand. Scientific men explain, but sometimes scientific 
men are wrong. 

The bottom and sides of the James River are mostly 
of rock. It is a beautiful river. At Covington, is lo- 
cated the Bedford Pulp and Paper Compan.y, a New 
York corporation. This concern is permitted to empty 
its refuse into this stream of pure mountain water, 
thus turning it dark and muddy and polluting it far 
beyond Richmond. All the towns along the stream de- 
pended on it for their water supply. The cities along 
the line went into court and fought it before the legis- 
lature ; but they lost. It cost Richmond, Lynchburg and 
the other cities millions of dollars to change their water 
supph^, and in some cases the results were bad, especially 
at Lynchburg. The river was filled with fine fish, which 
in these times of foreign wars meant economy in foods. 

449 
29 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

These fish died, being poisoned by the refuse. Thus 
merely to save expenses of operating this paper plant, 
the people were compelled to sustain great losses and 
hardships through the exploitation b}^ a rich corpora- 
tion. 

Just such things as these react, sooner or later, to 
punish the Avrongs unnecessarily inflicted. Virginia's 
public officials are not what they were in Colonial days, 
when the public good and protection of the multitude 
prevailed and were the objects sought. 

A few miles beyond this place the Allegheny moun- 
tains" begin. They are the dividing line between Vir- 
ginia and West Virginia. These are rugged mountains 
and contain the rich minerals which are lacking in the 
Blue Ridge mountains. Springs abound all along these 
mountains. 

The first springs to be commercialized on a large 
scale were the White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia, 
owned by the Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad. This road 
has expended millions of dollars in their development. 
There is practically nothing here outside of its holdings. 
It has a tract of about 7,000 acres surrounded by moun- 
tains. About 200 acres have been set aside for golf 
links, and there is a well-appointed club house located 
thereon. The dues are one dollar a week. The railroad 
owns two hotels. They are separated yet connected by 
an arch over the roadway between them and there is 
a closed hallway above. One is an American hotel 
named the White, and the other is a European hotel 
named the Greenbrier. One is occupied by people with 
children, — those who have made and are expending 
their own money. The other is occupied by the social 
set, the sports, the ''get rich quick," who are spending 

450 



WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, WEST VIRGINIA 

other people's money and inherited wealth. The women 
in this hotel have no children ; but they have dogs, — all 
kinds of dogs, little dogs and big dogs, the Pekinese, the 
Pomorene, dogs with short legs and dogs with long legs, 
dogs with crooked legs and dogs with straight legs, 
dogs for everybody, both hnman and "divine." When 
the women and most of the dogs get together, they call 
it a party. The women fondle the dogs as they would 
babies, and are just as tender and affectionate toward 
them as they possibly could be toward a child. They 
say this hotel is fireproof. I hope so. I wonder why 
these w^omen do not join the Red Cross, and do some- 
thing worth while. When employed as they now are, 
they are nothing — simply "girl caddies," slackers. 

This place used to be supported by the Southern 
people; but the property has been modernized and the 
rates greatly increased, and they ceased to come. Now 
the attendance is largely from Washington, D. C, and 
New England, although a few are occasionally from the 
North. 

The road advertises the service ; but to get the service, 
it will cost you from six dollars per month up, mostly up, 
over your fixed charges ; and then it is only ordinary. 
The hotel is so arranged and managed that at every turn 
a hand is out for a "tip," and if you do not "come 
across," you will begin to wonder why you are there. 
When you go down to the springs for a drink a colored 
boy will meet you with a smile that never comes off, 
clean a glass and fill it with fresh "sulphur water," just 
from the gurgling springs. You drink it and thank 
him. If you fail to tip him, the next time the smile 
has disappeared and you fill j'our own glass, again and 
again, to your heart's content. And so it is everywhere, 

451 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

even in the restaurants. At your first meal a tip is 
expected and if it is not given a new waiter will serve 
you at your second meal; and thus your stay will he 
one constant round of pleasure — from one waiter to 
another. 

The White is four stories high and the Greenbrier 
is six. The hotel grounds i)roper are composed of forty 
acres. These grounds are beautifully wooded and are 
kept clean and attractive as nature made them, excei)t 
for the drive> and walks. There are uot many flowers. 

In connection with the hotels, there are about sixty- 
separate furnished cottages : but the visitor is not per- 
mitted to cook his own meals. He is expected to patron- 
ize the hotels for all his wants. These cottages have 
been modernized, also, and are very attractive. They 
are rented by the season from July 1 to September 15. 
The Greenbrier is open throughout the year, but the 
White operates only during the season. The construc- 
tion of these hotels is such that they are expensive to 
operate. The best profits are in the increased railroad 
traffic. When you visit one such place you have seen 
all. There is a sameness in them all. 



452 



WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA 



Wheeling^ West Virginia 

AS we leave Wliite Sulphur Springs towards the 
west Ave pass through oue of the richest centers 
of West Virginia. To the south, for a hundred 
miles, we pass through rich agricultural lands, until 
we come to the Big Sandy River, the dividing line be- 
tween this State and Kentucky. To the north, along 
the Kanawiia River we pass over coal lands for 200 miles. 
These mines have made the State one of the richest in 
the Union, and have made some of its early citizens, 
now" living elsewhere, millionaires. Senator Elkins was 
many times a millionaire, and the extensive owner of 
coal lands. His father-in-law, Mr. Davis, amassed a 
fortune in the same w^ay. The country abounds in some 
of the most essential minerals. Iron ore is found in pay- 
ing quantities. Oil, likewise, has made many men rich, 
— made them aristocrats. 

The State is rough and covered with hills every- 
where. There are some rich valleys lying between the 
higher elevations of hills or undeveloped mountain 
ranges. The dividing line on the east separating this 
State from Virginia is the Allegheny range of moun- 
tains. On tlie eastern slope of these mountains all the 
I'ivers flow into the James River, and on the western 
slope all the rivers flow into the Ohio River, the divid- 
ing line between these two States. 

In 1862, its small population seceded from the State 
of V'irginia, and was admitted to the Union by acts 
of Congress. This was on account of Virginia's join- 
ing the Southern Confederacy. The State of Virginia 
did not object very seriously, because that part of the 

453 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

State was so mountainous and hilly and so thinly set- 
tled that it was regarded as almost worthless for anj- 
and all purposes. 

The State officials, statesmen and politicians ex- 
ploited this part of the State for the benefit of Virginia 
proper. The taxes, public improvements and public 
funds were almost wholly expended in old Virginia, 
and the people of West Virginia were only too glad for 
the opportunity to withdraw and form a State for 
themselves. The Allegheny mountains made the two 
sections inaccessible and strangers to each other, and 
thus was easily chosen for the dividing line. 

West Virginia had no improvements of any kind. 
It had no roads, no schools, and only a few churches. 
Its mineral wealth was not developed and known only 
to a few. It was, indeed, wild and sorely neglected, and 
this was only fiftj^-five years ago. Yet Virginia proper 
was heavily bonded and had pike roads, public schools, 
a university and private colleges and seminaries. It 
was highly developed in every way, and from its peo- 
ple national characters sprang up like mushrooms over 
night. 

After the Civil War had ended, development began. 
Railroads were built. Iron ore and coal were taken 
from the earth in enormous quantities, especially the 
coal, which has been leaving the State by the train- 
load day and night for years and will be for years 
and years to come. Then oil was discovered in large 
quantities, and West Virginia blossomed into one of 
the richest States in the Union. 

Men of affairs from the outside came in numbers 
and invested accumulated wealth in order to get more 
wealth. Cities Avere established ; public highways were 

454 



WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA 

built over the hills and around the mountains; schools 
were established and teachers from Ohio and Pennsyl- 
vania were employed to instruct the youno-. As one old 
gentleman remarked, the inhabitants of the new State 
were a sorry looking lot in every way. They simply 
grew up in ignorance, were unable to take care of them- 
selves, and were compelled to go outside for intellectual 
assistance. 

This was only two generations ago. The develop- 
ment Avas so rapid that thousands came in to work the 
coal and oil fields, to dig the iron ore and to develop 
the agricultural lands to feed the growing population. 
The tops and sides of the hills are worked like gardens. 
They produce corn, all the cereals, vegetables and 
grasses; and this abundance has made the State rich 
in cattle, horses, sheep, hogs and poultry, and their 
products. Diversified farming prevails throughout the 
State, and the high standard of soil is thus maintained. 
The valleys do not need fertilizing ; but because of rains 
washing the soil away, the tops and sides of the hills 
need fertilizing to produce good crops. The stock is 
fat and of good breeds. By ten o'clock, you will see 
cattle in every direction lying down to rest, filled with 
the choicest grasses. They do not have to work twenty- 
four hours for a living as they do in Florida and some 
other sections. They look at you with happy contented 
faces, and you are glad to see them and hope to meet 
them again. 

Thej^ have, in this State, the four seasons with the 
variation of one hundred degrees above in the summer 
and twenty below in the winter. Such a climate and 
such a country cannot produce such rich foods without 
producing a rich, happj' and prosperous ]lumanit3^ And 

455 



THE 8UNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

so YOU have, all around you, the evidences of wealth 
coming from the soil,— well dressed, robust, healthy 
men, women and children. In nature, life lives upon 
life. One life feeds and supports another life. This 
mutual dependence of animal and vegetable life is seen 
everywhere. In turn there is the dependence of these on 
mineral life. So situated and so surrounded, why should 
West Virginia not be rich in all her parts ? She has 
plenty for herself and plenty for others. 

Her scenery is varied and extensive. When it was 
made, nature must have been in much pain, for the 
struggles and upheavals and depressions are evidenced 
on every hand. Some of the rich valleys are most pic- 
turesque and restful to the human eye and mind. You 
linger here and pause there in contemplation of the 
many delicate touches in elevations, wooded decorations, 
colorings of soils and graceful curves of creek or stream, 
■ — all making a })anorama of blending beauty. ' ' A thing 
of beauty is a joy forever.'' It never fades into noth- 
ingness. Its loveliness increases. And thus we find all 
creation beautiful, if we behold it in the true spirit, 
with eyes penetrating enough to see and a mind suffi- 
ciently trained and broad enough to comprehend the 
objects all around us. And such is West Virginia, a 
rival to A^irginia and Maryland, "My Maryland.'' 

The largest city in the State is Wheeling; and it is 
also the dirtiest and the wealthiest. Its bank deposits 
are close to $30,000,000. It has a population of about 
50,000 and ahnost every race has a representative here. 
The Greeks, Italians and Jews are numerous. They find 
employment at good wages throughout the year, as so 
many factories are located here. West Virginia raises 
large ({uantities of tobacco. This is the head office of 

456 



WHEELING, AYE ST YIRGINIA 

the "Mail Poucir" brand for sinoking' and chewing. 
Amono: other factories are the National Tube Mills, 
AVheeler Steel and Iron Mills, Carnegie Steel Works, 
La Belle Iron Works, and glass factories. '^Cascarets" 
are made here. Then there are the Baltimore and Ohio 
shops, cigar factories and tanneries. There were brew- 
ing companies, but now the State is bone dry. There 
are thousands of coal miners living just outside of the 
city limits. The payroll is over $1,000,000 a week. This 
makes the city prosperous and financially strong. No 
city of its size in the country has such bank clearances 
as this. It is up towards the top. It is only sixty-six 
miles from Pittsburgh. The Ohio River runs through 
the town, and it has three railroads which touch the big 
markets of New England in a few hours. 

It is a very old city. At Lexington, Massachusetts, 
the first battle of the Revolution occurred. On Main 
Street, in the center of Wheeling's business district, 
stood Fort Henry; and here on September 11, 1782, oc- 
curred the last battle of the Revolution. A granite tab- 
let marks the spot. It is said that the men in the Fort 
ran out of powder, and that Bettie Zaine da,shed to the 
magazine some distance away and filled her apron with 
powdei-, and. returning to the fort, saved the day. Who 
said women were for peace, at any price? 

The city is going to improve in appearance. In the 
future, it will be governed by nine commissioners who 
have elected a manager. The new charter took effect 
July 1, 1917. A good man has been chosen, and it will 
be easy for him to show results of the change in a 
shoi't time. It wnll be business against politics. 

The next city in size is Huntington in the southern 
part of thp State. It lias wide streets and side-walks. 

457 



THE SUNNY SOUTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

Both are in good condition and clean. It is g^overned 
by a commission. Waste boxes are conveniently located 
everywhere. It has about 45,000 inhabitants. It is a 
very attractive place. West Virginia is blessed with 
natural gas. It is furnished to factories at five cents 
per thousand feet, and to residences at fifteen cents per 
thousand feet. Wheeling pays twenty and thirty cents 
for the same service. All cities in the State can have 
the gas, so they ought to be clean and attractive, and 
they are so in most instances. This cheap fuel is fast 
making this a great manufacturing State. Its develop- 
ment in this line has only begun. 

The next city in size is the capital of the State, 
Charleston. It is located in the southern part of the 
State on the Kanawha River, and is about sixty miles 
from Huntington. It has a population of about 40,000. 

There has been a great rivalry between these two 
cities. The streets of Charleston are not so wide, and 
it is not so attractive as Huntington. Both towns have 
good buildings and good stores, and the business in- 
terests are wide awake and aggressive like those of 
Northern cities. 

The Government armor and shell plants have been 
located at Charleston, and this will cause an expenditure 
of from $20,000,000 to $30,000,000 and add thousands 
of people to the population of Charleston. One of the 
United States senators has large interests in Charleston, 
and this gives it the advantage over Huntington, 

The Kanawha empties into the Ohio Biver at Hunt- 
ington sixty miles away. It has a depth of eight to 
ten feet, so here is another river that from now on 
must be added to the "rivers and harbors bill.'' There 
is no just reason why the Government should not have 

458 



WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA 

selected Hunting'ton from every point of view. It is 
located ou the Ohio River, a navi arable stream, and this 
is the best of reasons why it should have been chosen. 

But "politics is a great game." The older yon be- 
come the less you know about governmental policies. 
If we could eliminate liuman nature from public life, 
we, the people, would enjoy better and less expensive 
governments in City, State and Nation. Democratic 
governments are expensive. We need the simplicity of 
a Jefferson to keep us in more health.y, wholesome chan- 
nels. Public officials feel they should make a showing; 
and the public, as a rule, are too busy over other and 
less important things. Private success depends largely 
on a wholesome, healthy, strong national government. 
The people, the masses, are either strong or weak as 
their government is strong or weak. Good citizenship 
is the capital of good government. Every citizen should 
be compelled to perform all the obligations due his gov- 
ernment, to preserve and maintain it ; and, in turn, the 
government should protect its citizens — its assets — in 
their social, moral, intellectual and commercial rights, 
both at home and abroad, when in the right. 

Over a hundred years ago some of my ancestors 
located in this city. There were three brothers. Later, 
one went South, one moved to Greensburg, Indiana, and 
the other remained here. The descendants of these 
three brothers multiplied and continued to scatter, 
breaking all past connections. The}' were Scotch-Irish, 
a fighting, restless species of the human family. They 
never forget a wrong and seldom forgive one. They are 
a bad lot, yet are seldom found in the poorhouse. How- 
ever, they may be caught and confined for resisting 
the government. They want to govern, but seldom 

459 



THE SUNNY 80UTH AND ITS PEOPLE 

enjoy being governed ; yet they are law-abiding and God- 
fearing. They are a strange lot, who are able to and 
do look out for themselves. 

About five years ago, while I was walking along 
the side-walk in the town in which I was living, a tine 
old gentleman and his w4fe who had arrived in the 
city about two months before, stopped me, and called 
my name, and asked if I did not reside in Wheeling, 
West Virginia. I told them I did not and they apoh)- 
gized. I then explained, and they declared that I 
was the picture, in color of eyes, liair, color of skin 
and physique, of several of their old friends by that 
name who resided in Wheeling, West Virginia. To me 
it was remarkable to know that after three generations of 
voluntary selection and marriage, I could be picked 
out, on sight, by utter strangers, as ''one of them." 
The laws of nature governing human production are 
but little known, and the little we do know is often 
ignored, much less observed. That natural laws do gov- 
ern, there is no question. That they should be discov- 
ered and studied scientifically b}^ governmental super- 
vision, there is no question. The manufactU'ring of 
healthy, sound, human units mentally, physicall}^ and 
morallj^ is within the province of governmental duties . 
and thus society would be protected against idiots, de- 
fectives and units which become a care and a burden 
on the social organization and an expense to the State. 
All other creations except human beings are studied and 
improved, and here we stop and trust in the Lord and 
allow the devil to take the hindmost one. Cripples and 
defectives, mentally and physically, should gradually 
be eliminated, through selection and breeding, for a 
higher, stronger, greater human unit: for out of such 

460 



WHEELING, AVE8T VIRGINIA 

tlie luimaii race must make its greatest strides in prog- 
ress, and by the "snrvival of the fittest'' must i:)erpetu- 
ate and protect itself against disease and extinction. 
Of course, occasionally there are single exceptions to 
most laws or rules, but these will not alter or change 
a natural law as a general proposition. 

So this is w^hy I visited this cit}'. I wanted to see my 
ancestry, if an}' were here, and to ask them for a loan 
of a dollar or so, or a night's lodging. Why have rela- 
tives if they cannot be of service to you? Ah! There's 
the rub. Strangers often treat you better. Then why 
not commercialize the creation of man. 



461 



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